"Try and fail, but don't fail to try"

“Try and fail, but don’t fail to try” is a motivational saying that has been printed on many posters. “Is it not better to try and fail than to fail without trying?” was cited in 1902. “Better to try and fail than to fail to try” was cited in 1904.

“Try and fail, but don’t fail to try - Stephen Kaggwa” was cited in 1999. It’s not certain who Stephen Kaggwa is—his is possibly the Uganda-born chef/owner of Tam Tam’s African Restaurant in Minneapolis, MN)—but the saying had been established for many years before his use.

Chronicling America
27 February 1902, The Fulton County News (McConnellsburg, PA), “Why Are You Not A Communicant?,” pg. 5, col. 1:
Is it not better to try and fail than to fail without trying?

30 June 1904, Marietta (GA) Journal, pg. 4, col. 3:
Better to try and fail than to fail to try.

8 December 1904, Cambridge (OH) Jefferonian, pg. 7, col. 7:
Better to try and fail than to fail to try.

2 April 1906, Watertown (NY) Daily Times, “Close of C. E. Institute,” pg. 6, col. 3:
“It is much better to try and fail than it is to fail to try,” said Mr. Shaw.
(William Shaw of Boston.—ed.)

10 September 1913, St. Johnsbury (VT) Caledonian, pg. 7, col. 4:
Danville Orange will hold its regular meeting, Tuesday evening, Sept. 16. Motto: “Better Try and Fail Than Fail to Try.”

2 March 1915, The Daily Herald (Gulfport, MS), “Wiggins Items,” pg. 5, col. 1:
It is better to try and fail than to fail to try.

12 February 1983, The Oregonian (Portland, OR), “Packwood tells GOP to offer voters security” by Tom Stimmel, pg. C3, col. 4:
‘We never know until we try. I would rather try and fail than fail to try.”
(Oregon Republican Sen. Bob Packwood.—ed.)

Google Groups: rec.sport.swimming
T-shirt slogans/sayings
Chris Lozan
8/24/99
How’s this one:
Try and fail, but don’t fail to try - Stephen Kaggwa

Google Books
The Exceptional Man
By M. S. Shiflett
Xulon Press (XulonPress.com)
2006
Pg. 114:
One of my favorite quotes is “I’d rather try and fail than to fail to try.”

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Quotes Daddy
‏@QuotesDaddy
Try and fail, but don’t fail to try. - Stephen Kaggwa
5:13 AM - 16 Aug 2008

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Zen Moments
‏@Zen_Moments
Try and fail, but don’t fail to try. ~ Stephen Kaggawa
10:33 AM - 1 Mar 2015