I don't look at seeds not sprouting or plants as not producing as a defeat - I look at it as a learning experience and, often, as a challenge. Pubs? First year I think I got 5 pods, total, off of 3 plants. Yet I overwintered them, and added two more plants. Now I am trying to find that mix of temperature, sun, shade, ferts that they like. I also noted that the two plants I added did not produce well their first year, receiving the same attention as those in the 2nd year, while the 2nd year plants produced much more. So it could be simply a matter of patience - they may simply not be high producers their first year - or a combination of patience and learning what is right for this variety.
Outside of that, I acknowledge that some plants just won't make it in certain growing conditions. I have massive Russian Sage plants in my front yard. They receive full sun all day and love it. A neighbor a few blocks away planted Russian Sage in his yard the same year I did, but he lives in an area totally surrounded by trees that are probably 60 ft. tall and shade his entire yard all day. His Russian Sage is struggling, to say the least. Defeat? No, just a poor choice of plant given his growing conditions, as Russian Sage really is a full-sun plant.