I've ended up feeling a great deal of gratitude for my failures. Of course, there are people who don't believe me when I tell them I belong in the last seat in the second row. They challenge my position by reminding me of books I have written and the many wonderful accomplishments I've been fortunate to achieve. Over the years I have learned that there are some aspects of my humanity — perhaps my kindness and my ability to understand others — that probably belong in the first row. But there are many other aspects of Gottlieb that belong in the last row — technical skills, attention span, and memory (to name a few).
Overall, I'm comfortable here with my many friends in the last seat in the second row. If you ever get tired of trying to get ahead or if you feel lonely once you're there, you are always welcome back here. There's plenty of room, and we are pretty nice people.
— Daniel Gottlieb, Learning from the Heart