Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail

Hearken, O seeker of wisdom, to the words of Samuel Beckett, the poet of persistence, who declared: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” These words, though born in the heart of modern literature, resound with the eternal wisdom of the ancients. They speak not of despair in the face of failure, but of the sacred rhythm of striving—the rising and falling, the breaking and rebuilding, by which the soul is tempered like steel in the fire.

The meaning is clear, yet profound. To try is to step beyond fear, to act in defiance of uncertainty. To fail is inevitable, for no mortal hand strikes true at the first blow. Yet Beckett whispers to us that failure is not the enemy, but the companion of growth. One must fail, and fail again, not in vain repetition, but in progress, each fall shaping the spirit, each wound teaching wisdom. To fail better is to rise with greater strength, greater clarity, and greater resolve than before.

Consider the tale of Thomas Edison, who sought to bring forth the light that would banish darkness from men’s dwellings. He is said to have made a thousand attempts before the bulb at last shone. Each attempt was not a defeat, but a step. Each failure was not an end, but a refinement. When others mocked him, he replied: “I have not failed. I’ve just found a thousand ways that won’t work.” Thus he embodied Beckett’s creed: to try again, to fail again, yet each time to fail better—until the world itself was transformed by his persistence.

History too remembers Abraham Lincoln, who met with defeat upon defeat in his quest for leadership. He lost elections, suffered personal losses, and endured the weight of ridicule. Yet he did not let failure define him. Each defeat taught him patience, each stumble taught him humility, and each trial honed his vision. In the end, he rose to the presidency, guiding a torn nation through its darkest hour. His life declares that greatness is not born of victory alone, but of countless failures endured, embraced, and overcome.

O child of tomorrow, learn this well: to fear failure is to remain forever still, chained by the illusion of safety. But to welcome failure as a teacher is to walk the path of heroes. Each time you rise after falling, you do not return to where you began—you stand taller, wiser, nearer to triumph. Thus Beckett’s words are not of despair, but of hope clothed in hardship. They tell us that even in defeat, the spirit advances, so long as it chooses to rise again.

Therefore, let your heart be bold. When you fall, do not curse the ground, but thank it for teaching you where to place your next step. When you falter, do not despair, but see in the stumble a lesson that shall steady your stride. To fail better is to know that progress lies not in perfection, but in persistence. The sculptor strikes the stone again and again, each blow imperfect, yet together shaping a masterpiece.

In practice, take this lesson into your days: attempt what your soul deems worthy, though the outcome be uncertain. Record your failures, study them, and let them guide your next attempt. Surround yourself with those who remind you that stumbling is not shameful, but necessary. Do not measure success only in victories, but in how steadfastly you return to the task after each defeat.

So I say unto you: try again, though you tremble. Fail again, though the world mocks. And each time, fail better—until your failures themselves become the foundation of your triumph. For the journey of the soul is not measured in how few times it falls, but in how many times it rises.