Troubles are often the tools by which God fashions us for better things.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
The individual who knows the score about life sees difficulties as opportunities.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
He disposes Doom who hath suffered him.
—Emily Dickinson (1830–86) American Poet
Sleep, riches, and health, to be truly enjoyed, must be interrupted.
—Jean Paul (1763–1825) German Novelist, Humorist
He that can’t endure the bad will not live to see the good.
—Yiddish Proverb
Strong people are made by opposition like kites that go up against the wind.
—Frank Harris (1856–1931) Irish-born American Writer, Journalist
If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
—Dolly Parton (b.1946) American Musician, Actress
They wrong man greatly who say he is to be seduced by ease. Difficulty, abnegation, martyrdom, death are the allurements that act on the heart of man.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Justice should remove the bandage from her eyes long enough to distinguish between the vicious and the unfortunate.
—Robert G. Ingersoll (1833–99) American Lawyer, Orator, Agnostic
To conquer without risk is to triumph without glory.
—Pierre Corneille (1606–84) French Poet, Dramatist
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 most valuable gift I ever received was … the gift of insecurity … my father left us. My mother’s love might not have prepared me for life the way my father’s departure did. He forced us out on to the road where we had to earn our bread.
—Lillian Gish (1896–1993) American Actress
In really hard times the rules of the game are altered. The inchoate mass begins to stir. It becomes potent, and when it strikes, it strikes with incredible emphasis. Those are the rare occasions when a national will emerges from the scattered, specialized, or indifferent blocs of voters who ordinarily elect the politicians. Those are for good or evil the great occasions in a nation’s history.
—Walter Lippmann (1889–1974) American Journalist, Political Commentator, Writer
Oh, fear not in a world like this, and thou shalt know erelong, know how sublime a thing it is to suffer and be strong.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–82) American Poet, Educator, Academic
Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.
—Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) American Surgeon, Biologist
Difficulties are stepping stones to success.
—Unknown
Treasure the memories of past misfortunes; they constitute our bank of fortitude.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
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
Every calamity is a spur and valuable hint.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Who hath not known ill-fortune, never knew himself, or his own virtue.
—David Mallet (c.1705–1765) Scottish Poet, Dramatist
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
Sweet are the uses of adversity, which, like a toad, though ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in its head.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Adversity is the touchstone of virtue.
—Unknown
Prosperity is too apt to prevent us from examining our conduct, but adversity leads us to think properly of our state, and so is most beneficial to us.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
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
Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
The English nation is never so great as in adversity.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
To be thrown upon one’s own resources is to be cast into the very lap of fortune, for our faculties then undergo a development and display an energy of which they were previously unsusceptible.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Too many people overvalue what they are not and undervalue what they are.
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
The virtue of adversity is fortitude, which in mortals is the heroical virtue.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
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
You have learned something. That always feels at first as if you had lost something.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Some minds seem almost to create themselves, springing up under every disadvantage and working their solitary but irresistible way through a thousand obstacles.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
Bumps are the things we climb on.
—Warren W. Wiersbe (1929–2019) American Pastor, Biblical Scholar
Don’t look forward to the day when you stop suffering. Because when it comes, you’ll know you’re dead.
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
There is no education like adversity.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
No man better knows what good is than he who has endured evil.
—Unknown
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 Evangelical Christian Pastor, Author
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
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
Difficulties mastered are opportunities won.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
Noble discontent is the path to heaven.
—Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823–1911) American Social Reformer, Clergyman
They merit more praise who know how to suffer misery than those who temper themselves with contentment.
—Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) Italian Poet, Dramatist, Satirist
Those things that hurt, instruct.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
I was lucky I wasn’t a better boxer, or that’s what I’d be now – a punchy ex-pug.
—Bob Hope (1903–2003) British-born American Comedian
It is often better to have a great deal of harm happen to one than a little; a great deal may rouse you to remove what a little will only accustom you to endure.
—George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick (1746–1816) British Nobleman, Politician
There is nothing the body suffers which the soul may not profit by.
—George Meredith (1828–1909) British Novelist, Poet, Critic
No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.
—William Penn (1644–1718) American Entrepreneur, Political leader, Philosopher
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