This quote humorously redefines failure not as a setback but as a common experience shared by many during the path to success. It serves as a reminder that failure is not an anomaly or a sign of personal inadequacy but a normal, expected part of the learning and growth process. Often, people feel discouraged when they encounter obstacles or don't achieve immediate success, but this quote lightens that weight by implying that struggling initially is actually the "average" or ordinary situation.

By equating the initial lack of success to running at an average pace, it takes away the stigma around failing and instead presents it as a natural stage that everyone encounters. This mindset encourages persistence, patience, and resilience over time. Instead of viewing failure as a definitive endpoint, it becomes a temporary state while one continues to strive and improve. Humor also plays an essential role here. The light-hearted tone makes the idea easier to accept and integrate into one's thinking, reducing the fear or shame that often accompanies failure.

Overall, this quote empowers individuals to maintain realistic expectations, foster self-compassion, and normalize setbacks. It reminds us that success is rarely instantaneous and that perseverance through the average phase of multiple attempts is what ultimately leads to accomplishment. Rather than dreading or fearing mistakes, we can embrace them as common steps along the path forward.