It is wise to keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.

Babson’s aphorism urges a long view of life and work: outcomes that feel decisive—whether triumphs or setbacks—are temporary waypoints rather than permanent verdicts. The line counters complacency after achievement (since circumstances change and new challenges arise) and despair after defeat (since recovery, learning, and renewed effort remain possible). In this sense it aligns with a pragmatic, self-help tradition common in early 20th-century American business culture, emphasizing resilience, adaptability, and continuous effort. The quote’s balanced pairing of “success” and “failure” also implies an ethical stance: keep perspective, avoid arrogance in good times, and maintain courage and agency in bad times.