"Big dreams don't come without big failures. Things will get tough and you will make mistakes. Repeatedly. We're human and we're going to flounder, but it's what you do to get back up that matters. If I allowed myself to stay in the downward swings, then I'd still be there. Similarly, if you miss the mark on your first try, don't give up. Success is a cumulative process; it's not a one-time event. When you're just starting out, it's one mess-up after another. Winning one, then losing the next. After a little while, the "mess-ups" turn into valuable experiences. The more opportunities you have to win, lose, or barely make, the more chances you'll have to convert those experiences into fuel. You don't learn as much just from winning or playing it safe."
–– Quincy Jones (b. 1933), American record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer.
Source: Quincy Jones. 12 Notes on Life and Creativity. New York: Abrams Image, 2022; p. 127-8.
via: Commonplace Book 2022, 2023, p. 125.
