«[T he successful person] is always prepared. Even in failure, he is composed. He is not easily discouraged. [He] considers his struggles to be a kind of sport, and he approaches them as he would a game. He contends with life's difficulties in a relaxed and pleasant manner. He keeps a clear head even when things go wrong. And please believe me when I tell you: successful people are never sore losers; they're the ones who don't whine and give up after every failure. Indeed, they are the ones who keep their chins up, weather life's misfortunes, and live to fight another day. Who will be first to fail the test? The timid and the faint of heart. The whiners, the complainers. He who goes to the exam cool and calm is already halfway there. Such people are in great demand today. That is, I believe, the secret of success.»
Water Benjamin cit. in
Rosenthal, Lecia (ed.) - Radio Benjamin (Jonathan Lutes (trad.)). London: Verso, 2014.