“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill
What makes a leader? Is it the ability to win or the strength to rise again after failure? Winston Churchill’s words remind us that neither success nor failure is permanent. What truly defines us is the courage to keep moving forward.
Success can tempt us to stop pushing, convincing us that we’ve already reached our peak. But resting on laurels is dangerous—it breeds complacency. Think of leaders or companies that stayed in their comfort zone after achieving success, only to be surpassed by more daring competitors.
Failure, on the other hand, can feel final. It whispers, “You’ll never make it.” But failure is only the end if you decide to stop trying. Great leaders see failures as stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks—they extract lessons and use those as fuel to keep progressing.
Courage bridges the gap between these extremes. It’s easy to slow down when you’re winning, and it’s natural to feel defeated when you’ve stumbled. But courage means challenging that comfort, rejecting despair, and pressing onward.
Reflect today on two key moments in your leadership. First, a success—has it been holding you back? What’s your next challenge? Then recall a failure—what did it teach you? What’s one way to use that insight to grow?
Success and failure are temporary stops on your leadership path. What truly matters is the courage to keep going, no matter what. How will you keep stepping forward today?
