In an 2008 Harvard commencement addres, J.K. Rowling stated: “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”

Key aspects of her perspective:

• Failure as a universal experience: “You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable”
• Stripping away the inessential: She described failure as a catalyst for authenticity, explaining it forced her to stop pretending and focus on her true passion (writing Harry Potter): “I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me”
• Rock bottom as foundation: “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life”
• Lessons from failure: It taught her “inner security,” self-discipline, and the irreplaceable value of genuine friendships

Rowling’s reflections stem from her post-graduation struggles, including poverty, divorce, and single parenthood, which she called “failure on an epic scale”. She reframed this period as a necessary crucible for growth and creative rebirth.

Source:  https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-rowling-speech/