“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all.”

— J.K. Rowling, Harvard University Commencement Address (2008)

About J.K. Rowling

Born 1965

British author of the 'Harry Potter' series, who gave the Harvard commencement address 'The Fringe Benefits of Failure' in 2008.

“It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies; but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.”

“Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun.”

“And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”

Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

“The scary news is, you're on your own now. The cool news is, you're on your own now.”

Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

Attribution note: Source disputed or unverified.

“If you're going through hell, keep going.”

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”