I love marriage. I failed at marriage, but I’d rather go into anything with gusto and fail than go into it half-assed.

Alley contrasts the ideal of commitment (“I love marriage”) with the reality of her own divorces, refusing to treat failure as proof that the institution—or the attempt—was worthless. The second clause reframes “failing at marriage” as an honorable risk taken with full effort, opposing a timid, halfhearted approach that avoids vulnerability. The quote fits a public persona built on candor and self-deprecating humor: she acknowledges personal shortcomings while asserting a broader ethic of wholehearted engagement. Its significance lies in separating outcome from intention—valuing sincerity, courage, and total investment over the safer posture of detachment.