When I hear somebody sigh that “Life is hard,” I am always tempted to ask, “Compared to what?”
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Journalist, Columnist, Drama Critic
When something does not insist on being noticed, when we aren’t grabbed by the collar or struck on the skull by a presence or an event, we take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.
—Cynthia Ozick
Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.
—John Henry Newman (1801–90) British Theologian, Poet
Men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues, and can moderate their desires more than their words.
—Baruch Spinoza (1632–77) Dutch Philosopher
The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.
—John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946) English Economist
The greatest difficulties lie where we are not looking for them.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
No problem can be solved until it is reduced to some simple form. The changing of a vague difficulty into a specific, concrete form is a very essential element in thinking.
—J. P. Morgan (1837–1913) American Financier, Philanthropist, Art Collector
Keep in mind that our community is not composed of those who are already saints, but of those who are trying to become saints. Therefore let us be extremely patient with each other’s faults and failures.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Albanian Catholic Humanitarian
Give yourself an even greater challenge than the one you are trying to master and you will develop the powers necessary to overcome the original difficulty.
—William Bennett (b.1943) American Politician, Political Theorist, Government Official
The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Out of difficulties grow miracles.
—Jean de La Bruyere
Great leadership does not mean running away from reality. Sometimes the hard truths might just demoralize the company, but at other times sharing difficulties can inspire people to take action that will make the situation better.
—John Kotter (b.1947) American Academic, Management Consultant
The best way out of a difficulty is through it.
—Will Rogers (1879–1935) American Actor, Comic, Columnist, Radio Personality
People need trouble—a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don’t mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
Without belittling the courage with which men have died, we should not forget those acts of courage with which men … have lived. The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must—in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures—and that is the basis of all human morality…. In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience—the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men—each man must decide for himself the course he will follow. The stories of past courage can define that ingredient—they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Almost any difficulty will move in the face of honesty. When I am honest I never feel stupid. And when I am honest I am automatically humble.
—Hugh Prather (b.1938) American Christian Author, Minister, Counselor
To find fault, is easy; to do better may be difficult.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
For every mountain, there is a miracle.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
At work, you think of the children you have left at home. At home, you think of the work you’ve left unfinished. Such a struggle is unleashed within yourself. Your heart is rent.
—Golda Meir (1898–1978) Israeli Head of State
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
—Anne Bradstreet (1612–72) English Poet
The Three Rules of Work: 1. Out of clutter, find simplicity. 2. From discord, find harmony. 3. In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Divide each difficulty into as many parts as is feasible and necessary to resolve it.
—Rene Descartes (1596–1650) French Mathematician, Philosopher
We are built to conquer environment, solve problems, achieve goals, and we find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.
—Maxwell Maltz (1899–1975) American Surgeon, Motivational Writer
The easiest period in a crisis situation is actually the battle itself. The most difficult is the period of indecision—whether to fight or run away. And the most dangerous period is the aftermath. It is then, with all his resources spent and his guard down, that an individual must watch out for dulled reactions and faulty judgment.
—Richard Nixon (1913–94) American Head of State, Lawyer
The human imagination… has great difficulty in living strictly within the confines of a materialist practice or philosophy. It dreams, like a dog in its basket, of hares in the open.
—John Berger (1926–2017) English Art Critic, Novelist
The mystery of existence is the connection between our faults and our misfortunes.
—Anne Louise Germaine de Stael (1766–1817) French Woman of Letters
Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
This, too, shall pass.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Everyone gets their rough day. No one gets a free ride. Today so far, I had a good day. I got a dial tone.
—Rodney Dangerfield (1921–2004) American Comedian, TV Personality, Actor
The greater the obstacle, the more glory we have in overcoming it; the difficulties with which we are met are the maids of honor which set off virtue.
—Moliere (1622–73) French Playwright
Hope is a vigorous principle; it is furnished with light and heat to advise and execute; it sets the head and heart to work, and animates a man to do his utmost. And thus, by perpetually pushing and assurance, it puts a difficulty out of countenance, and makes a seeming impossibility give way.
—Jeremy Collier (1650–1726) Anglican Church Historian, Clergyman
When I hear somebody sigh, “Life is hard,” I am always tempted to ask, “Compared to what?”
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Journalist, Columnist, Drama Critic
Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.
—Edward R. Murrow (1908–65) American Journalist, Radio Personality
Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success.
—A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (1931–2015) Indian Head of State, Scientist
There is nothing so easy but that it becomes difficult when you do it reluctantly.
—Terence (c.195–159 BCE) Roman Comic Dramatist
Adversity is a severe instructor, set over us by one who knows us better than we do ourselves, as he loves us better too. He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper. This conflict with difficulty makes us acquainted with our object, and compels us to consider it in all its relations. It will not suffer us to be superficial.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
We excuse our sloth under the pretext of difficulty.
—Quintilian (c.35–c.100 CE) Roman Rhetorician, Literary Critic
Where there is no difficulty there is no praise.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
A prince who will not undergo the difficulty of understanding must undergo the danger of trusting.
—George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax (1633–95) British Statesman, Writer, Politician
October. This is one of the peculiarly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August, and February.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Usually obstacles are the things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.
—Hannah More
Difficult times always create opportunities for you to experience more love in your life.
—Barbara De Angelis (b.1951) American Lecturer, Author, TV Personality, Motivational Speaker
Let nothing disturb thee, Let nothing affright thee, All things are passing, God changeth never.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Surmounting difficulty is the crucible that forms character.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been entrusted to us, the ultimate task, the final test and proof, the work for which all other work is merely preparation … Loving does not at first mean merging, surrendering, and uniting with another person—it is a high inducement for the individual to ripen … to become world in himself for the sake of another person; it is a great, demanding claim on him, something that chooses him and calls him to vast distances.
—Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) Austrian Poet
The difficulty for most of us in the modern world is that the old-fashioned idea of God has become incredible or implausible.
—Alan Watts (1915–73) British Buddhist Philosopher, Writer, Speaker
Stand still… and refuse to retreat. Look at it as God looks at it and draw upon His power to hold up under the blast.
—Chuck Swindoll (b.1934) American Christian Pastor, Author, Educator, Radio Personality
I would define true courage to be a perfect sensibility of the measure of danger, and a mental willingness to endure it.
—William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–91) American Military Leader, Businessperson, Educator
You think it more difficult to turn air into wine than to turn wine into blood?
—Graham Greene (1904–91) British Novelist, Playwright, Short Story Writer
Difficulties should act as a tonic. They should spur us to greater exertion.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
My difficulties belong to me !
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
It is easier to be a lover than a husband for the simple reason that it is more difficult to be witty every day than to say pretty things from time to time.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
^Do Not Quit^
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit…
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.
So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit…
It’s when things go wrong that you mustn’t quit.
—Edgar Guest (1881–1959) English-born American Poet, Radio Personality, TV Personality
I can resist everything except temptation.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet
Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.
—Charles Spurgeon (1834–92) British Baptist Preacher, Theologian, Hymn writer
When you are down and out something always turns up — and it is usually the noses of your friends.
—Orson Welles (1915–85) American Film Director, Actor
Obstacles are like wild animals. They are cowards but they will bluff you if they can. If they see you are afraid of them… they are liable to spring upon you; but if you look them squarely in the eye, they will slink out of sight.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call “Failure” is not the falling down, but the staying down.
—Mary Pickford
I think my biggest achievement is that after going through a rather difficult time, I consider myself comparatively sane. I’m proud of that.
—Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929–94) American First Lady, Editor
Flow with whatever may happen and let your mind be free. Stay centered by accepting whatever you are doing. This is the ultimate.
—Zhuang Zhou (369BCE–286BCE) Chinese Philosopher
The difficulty with becoming a patient is that as soon as you get horizontal, part of your being yearns, not for a doctor, but for a medicine man.
—Shana Alexander (1925–2005) American Journalist, Editor, Author
In contemplation, if a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Everyone has talent at twenty-five. The difficulty is to have it at fifty.
—Edgar Degas (1834–1917) French Painter, Sculpture, Printer maker, Artist
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it.
—Niels Bohr (1885–1962) Danish Physicist
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
I have had more trouble with myself than with any other man I’ve met.
—Dwight L. Moody (1837–99) Christian Religious Leader, Publisher
To accept whatever comes, regardless of the consequences, is to be unafraid.
—John Cage (1912–92) American Composer, Philosopher, Poet, Artist
The great obstacle to progress is prejudice.
—Christian Nestell Bovee (1820–1904) American Writer, Aphorist
As favor and riches forsake a man, we discover in him the foolishness they concealed, and which no one perceived before.
—Jean de La Bruyere
Life comes in clusters, clusters of solitude, then clusters when there is hardly time to breathe.
—May Sarton (1912–95) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Novelist
If most people are not willing to see the difficulty, this is mainly because, consciously or unconsciously, they assume that it will be they who will settle these questions for the others, and because they are convinced of their own capacity to do this.
—Friedrich Hayek (1899–1992) British Economist, Social Philosopher