proverb · Words worth keeping
Success has many parents, but failure is an orphan.
Success has many parents, but failure is an orphan.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying gives success many parents and leaves failure an orphan. It contrasts eager credit-taking with reluctance to accept responsibility.
Example
A team documents contributions and responsibilities whether a project succeeds or falls short.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The family image makes unequal ownership of results conspicuous. A useful application checks actual contributions and decisions without assuming everyone acts opportunistically. The image should not disparage family circumstances or make association equivalent to causation.
When to use it
Use it to examine the handling of credit and responsibility.
Keep in mind
No person’s motives or actual responsibility is proved by the generalisation.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown