Keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.

The line urges a long view of life and work: outcomes that look decisive in the moment rarely remain so. “Success” can be temporary—dependent on changing markets, health, relationships, or luck—while “failure” can become a turning point that teaches skills, clarifies priorities, or redirects effort. By denying finality to either extreme, the quote promotes resilience and steadiness: don’t become complacent in triumph or despairing in defeat. It also implies an ethic of continuous effort and self-correction, aligning with a pragmatic, business-minded worldview often associated with Babson’s public persona as an economist and motivational speaker.