We fall forward to succeed.

Hear the words of Mary Kay Ash, a woman of vision and founder of an empire, who declared: “We fall forward to succeed.” These words are a banner for all who struggle, for they teach that failure is not the end, but the very movement toward triumph. To fall forward is to stumble with momentum, to strike the ground but still advance, to be broken yet not destroyed. Ash, who began with little and built a company that transformed lives, knew this truth not as theory, but as lived experience.

The first wisdom lies in the paradox of the phrase. To fall is usually seen as defeat, a sign of weakness or failure. But Ash transforms its meaning. A fall, when forward, is not retreat but progress. It may bruise the body, but it teaches the mind. It may humble the spirit, but it strengthens the will. She reminds us that the very act of failing can carry us closer to our goal, so long as we fall with purpose and rise again with resolve.

The second wisdom lies in the link between falling and succeeding. Success is not the absence of failure, but its companion. Every stumble carries a lesson; every wound bears a teaching. Those who never risk falling never walk the path of greatness. It is only those who dare to fall, who endure the pain of error, who discover the hidden road to victory. To fall forward, then, is to turn misfortune into a stepping stone, to turn pain into progress.

History gives us luminous proof in the life of Thomas Edison. He attempted a thousand experiments before perfecting the electric light. Each failure might have been called a fall, yet each one carried him forward, teaching him what did not work and guiding him toward what would. Had he feared falling, the world might still dwell in darkness. But by falling forward, he succeeded.

So too with Abraham Lincoln, who lost elections, endured personal tragedies, and was mocked as unworthy of office. Yet each failure shaped his character, teaching him patience, resilience, and compassion. When at last he rose to the presidency, his wisdom was forged by the fire of many falls. His success was not in spite of his failures, but because of them. He had learned to fall forward, and in doing so, he succeeded in preserving a nation.

The lesson is clear: do not fear falling, for it is the mark of those who strive. Fear instead standing still, clinging to safety, never daring to risk. The one who falls forward is still in motion, still on the path, still pressing toward the goal. The ground may be hard, but it is the ground upon which greatness is built.

Practical wisdom follows: when you fail, pause not to despair, but to learn. Ask yourself: What has this fall taught me? How has it carried me closer to my aim? Then rise, and take the next step. Celebrate not only victories, but also the lessons that failure brings. For each stumble, if faced with courage, is a forward movement toward triumph.

Thus remember always Mary Kay Ash’s teaching: “We fall forward to succeed.” Let it be your shield against discouragement and your torch in dark times. For success is not a straight road, but a path of stumbles, bruises, and rises. Walk it bravely, fall as you must, but always forward. And in time, you will see that every fall was not defeat, but progress in disguise.