There is nothing so easy but that it becomes difficult when you do it reluctantly.
—Terence (c.195–159 BCE) Roman Comic Dramatist
Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
One who was adored by all in prosperity is abhorred by all in adversity.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
If you can’t go over, you must go under.
—Yiddish Proverb
Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seamed with scars; martyrs have put on their coronation robes glittering with fire, and through their tears have the sorrowful first seen the gates of Heaven.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses, and disappointments; but let us have patience, and we soon shall see them in their proper figures.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Adversity is like the period of the former and of the latter rain,—cold, comfortless, unfriendly to man and to animal; yet from that season have their birth the flower and the fruit, the date, the rose, and the pomegranate.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
Victories that are easy are cheap. Those only are worth having which come as the result of hard fighting.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
There is no coming to consciousness without pain.
—Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) Swiss Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Philosopher
Life isn’t meant to be easy. It’s hard to take being on the top—or on the bottom. I guess I’m something of a fatalist. You have to have a sense of history, I think, to survive some of these things. Life is one crisis after another.
—Richard Nixon (1913–94) American Head of State, Lawyer
Remorse begets reform.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
Forget the times of your distress, but never forget what they taught you.
—Herbert Spencer Gasser (1888–1963) American Physiologist
It is grief that develops the powers of the mind.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
The virtue of adversity is fortitude, which in mortals is the heroical virtue.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
What the student calls a tragedy, the master calls a butterfly.
—Richard Bach (b.1936) American Novelist, Aviator
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
The virtue of prosperity is temperance, but the virtue of adversity is fortitude; and the last is the more sublime attainment.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Misfortunes tell us what fortune is.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
If you suffer, thank God! It is a sure sign that you are alive.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
There could be no honor in a sure success, but much might be wrested from a sure defeat.
—T. E. Lawrence (1888–1935) British Soldier, Scholar, Writer
A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity till he has tasted adversity.
—Sa’Di (Musharrif Od-Din Muslih Od-Din) (c.1213–91) Persian Poet
To every disadvantage there is a corresponding advantage.
—W. Clement Stone (1902–2002) American Self-help Guru, Entrepreneur
Take heart again; put your dismal fears away. One day, who knows? Even these hardships will be grand things to look back on.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
Every cloud has its silver lining but it is sometimes a little difficult to get it to the mint
—Don Marquis (1878–1937) American Humorist, Journalist, Author
Suffering! We owe to it all that is good in us, all that gives value to life; we owe to it pity, we owe to it courage, we owe to it all the virtues.
—Anatole France (1844–1924) French Novelist
Necessity is the mother of taking chances.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Those things that hurt, instruct.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
In my youth, poverty enriched me, but now I can afford wealth.
—Marc Chagall (1889–1985) Russian-born French Painter, Graphic Artist
Brave men rejoice in adversity, just as brave soldiers triumph in war.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
“Only fools have no doubts;” “Are you sure?”; “I have no doubts!”
—Luciano De Crescenzo (b.1928) Italian Writer, Film Actor, Director, Engineer
Unless a man has been kicked around a little, you can’t really depend upon him to amount to anything.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which, in prosperous circumstances, would have lain dormant.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Difficulties are things that show what men are.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Every calamity is a spur and valuable hint.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Adversity is the touchstone of virtue.
—Unknown
Life begins on the other side of despair.
—Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–80) French Philosopher, Playwright, Novelist, Screenwriter, Political Activist
Of all the advantages which come to any young man, I believe it to be demonstrably true that poverty is the greatest.
—Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819–81) American Editor, Novelist
A certain amount of opposition is a great help to a man; it is what he wants and must have to be good for anything. Hardship and opposition are the native soil of manhood and self-reliance.
—John Neal (1793–1876) American Editor, Poet, Novelist, Critic
Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed.
—Corita Kent (1918–86) American Artist, Graphic Artist, Educator
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
A diamond is a chunk of coal that made good under pressure.
—Anonymous
I would never have amounted to anything were it not for adversity. I was forced to come up the hard way.
—James Cash Penney (1875–1971) American Entrepreneur
Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems … create our courage and wisdom.
—M. Scott Peck (1936–2005) American Psychiatrist, Author
He that has never suffered extreme adversity, knows not the full extent of his own depravation.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
It is from the level of calamities … that we learn impressive and useful lessons.
—William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63) English Novelist
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
By becoming more unhappy, we sometimes learn how to be less so.
—Sophie Swetchine (1782–1857) Russian Mystic, Writer
Adversity is the first path to truth: He who hath proved war, storm or woman’s rage, whether his winters be eighteen or eighty, has won the experience which is deem’d so weighty.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
You’ve got to take the bull between your teeth.
—Samuel Goldwyn (1879–1974) Polish-born American Film Producer, Businessperson