JK Rowling's inspirational message about why it's OK to fail sometimes indy100 indy100 Indy100 logoNewsletter sign upRegister/Sign inTop 100NewsViralPoliticsCelebritiesScience & TechVideoWishlistWishlistBooksFashion & BeautyFood & DrinkHome & GardenKidsSports & FitnessTechTravel & OutdoorsMoreScience & techVideoConversationsSportIdentitiesLifestyleShowbizTVSearchxCelebritiesjk rowling

JK Rowling' s inspirational message about why it' s OK to fail sometimes

Evan Bartlett (@ev_bartlettMar 31, 2015 JK Rowling speaking at Harvard's Commencement ceremony in 2008 JK Rowling's latest book acts as something of a self-help manual; charting what she learned from being “the biggest failure I knew” to becoming one of the most celebrated authors on the planet. Very Good Lives: The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination is based on the speech Rowling gave to Harvard graduates at the prestigious university's Commencement ceremony in 2008. In what Harvard president Drew Gilpin Faust called “the most moving and memorable” speech she’d ever heard, Rowling advised students on what she calls "the benefits of failure". Now, I’m not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life is a dark one and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy-tale resolution.JK Rowling Reflecting on her own time at university, in which she "spent far too long in the coffee bar writing stories, and far too little time at lectures", Rowling offered the students advice on what to expect from life, warning that "some failure is inevitable". It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.JK RowlingKeep reading...Show less

JK Rowling pranked by Russian into thinking she' s speaking to Zelensky

Emma Watson praised for ' giant dig' at JK Rowling at Bafta Awards

Jon Stewart hits back in JK Rowling anti-semitism row

Please log in or register to upvote this article jk rowling

Top 100

Ellen star Sophia Grace is pregnant – and now the internet feels old

viralnicki minajellenellen showellen degenerespregnantviral24m

How likely is it that Boris Johnson could be prime minister again

Boris Johnsonboris johnsontory leadership contesttory leadership racetory leaderTory leadershiptory leadershipConservativesconservative partyConservative Partyconservative leadership raceconservativesBoris JohnsonOct 21, 2022

The Rocky career of Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnsonthe rockblack adamwweDwayne JohnsonOct 21, 2022

Man endures ' 29 hour flight' with screaming kids for the entire trip

flightplanechildflightOct 12, 2022

Lorraine Kelly hits out at Madonna' s ' boiled egg' face

madonnamadonnalorraine kellygmbshowbizplastic surgeryOct 11, 2022

Elon Musk is actually selling a ' Burnt Hair' fragrance

elon muskthe boring companyperfumeelon muskburnt hairOct 12, 2022

Jon Stewart slams Arkansas attorney general for her ' anti-trans law'

lgbt+transgenderlgbt+jon stewartapple tvarkansasus newsnewsOct 11, 2022

Just Stop Oil protester praised for ' great' explanation of soup stunt

just stop oilvan goghprotestclimate activistsjust stop oilOct 19, 2022

Couple spark debate for ' scandalous' wedding cake topper

wedding cakeOct 12, 2022

Love Island star shows extent of how far influencers edit photos

Love IslandOct 11, 2022

Steven Seagal describes Putin as one of ' greatest world leaders'

steven seagalOct 10, 2022

Lizzo wears empowering shirt after being fat-shamed by Kanye West

lizzoOct 10, 2022

A lettuce just outlasted Liz Truss' stint as prime minister

Liz TrussOct 20, 2022

Newsnight guest says ' you can' t treat mortgages like prime ministers'

Liz TrussOct 20, 2022The Conversation (0)