If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate. — Thomas J. Watson | Printable Wall Art

“If you want to increase your success rate, double your failure rate.”

Words by Thomas J. Watson (1874-1956) — Former chairman and CEO of IBM.

About this quote

This statement suggests that progress relies on taking risks rather than avoiding mistakes. Instead of viewing failure as the opposite of success, Watson frames it as a necessary step towards it. Trying more often naturally leads to more errors, but it also increases the chances of finding what works. Real growth requires a willingness to experiment and learn from setback.

Widely attributed to Thomas J. Watson, the long-serving leader who built IBM into an international corporation. While the exact speech remains unrecorded, the advice reflects his well-documented philosophy on innovation and employee initiative.

People often hang this print in a study or home office to encourage resilience during challenging projects.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 19 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Script Whisper · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Night Script · Tracked Caps Unsigned

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.