Actress Mary Tyler Moore, one of the best-known television leads in history, almost missed out on becoming a household name. After minor TV roles throughout the 1950s and ’60s, she finally made it big with “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1970. Her portrayal of a successful, funny woman who wasn’t focused on romance catapulted her into stardom. Reflecting on her life and career in a 1997 interview, Moore said, “Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage.” Her words remind us not to be discouraged by setbacks, as they often come before our biggest successes.

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1909, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty set her stories in the American South she knew and loved. Through the use of mythology and folklore motifs, Welty explored the significance of place and the transformative nature of travel. In her 1943 short story “The Wide Net,” Welty’s protagonist William Wallace Jamieson undergoes a life-altering change when he’s forced to face the mysteries of nature. Through the words of local wise man Old Doc, Welty emphasizes that our approach to life is what ultimately shapes the outcome of our experiences. This quote encourages introspection and reminds us that the end result of any life-changing journey is ultimately influenced by our mindset.

F. Scott Fitzgerald knew failure intimately. This may seem strange, considering Fitzgerald is now regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. But during his lifetime, he achieved only temporary success in the 1920s, with his two novels “This Side of Paradise” and “The Beautiful and Damned.” His 1925 book "The Great Gatsby" — today hailed as a contender for the “Great American Novel” — was a commercial failure, despite generally positive reviews. By the 1930s, Fitzgerald was struggling with finances and alcoholism while his works declined in popularity. “Tender Is the Night,” his fourth and final novel — from which this quote comes — was published in 1934. Fitzgerald considered it his crowning achievement and was therefore baffled when it received little fanfare upon its release. But Ernest Hemingway reflected the thoughts of many readers when he later remarked, “A strange thing is that in retrospect [Fitzgerald’s] ‘Tender Is the Night’ gets better and better.”