To really enjoy the better things in life, one must first have experienced the things they are better than.
—Oskar Homolka (1898–1978) Austrian Actor
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
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
By becoming more unhappy, we sometimes learn how to be less so.
—Sophie Swetchine (1782–1857) Russian Mystic, Writer
From a fallen tree, make kindling.
—Spanish Proverb
To conquer without risk is to triumph without glory.
—Pierre Corneille (1606–84) French Poet, Dramatist
There is in the worst of fortune the best of chances for a happy change.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.
—Dolly Parton (b.1946) American Musician, Actress
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
It has been well said that no man ever sank under the burden of the day. It is when to-morrow’s burden is added to the burden of to-day that the weight is more than a man can bear.
—George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish Novelist, Lecturer, Poet
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
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
In my youth, poverty enriched me, but now I can afford wealth.
—Marc Chagall (1889–1985) Russian-born French Painter, Graphic Artist
Forget the times of your distress, but never forget what they taught you.
—Herbert Spencer Gasser (1888–1963) American Physiologist
Suffering is the sole origin of consciousness.
—Fyodor Dostoyevsky (1821–81) Russian Novelist, Essayist, Writer
Only fools have no doubts; “Are you sure?”; “I have no doubts!”
—Luciano De Crescenzo (b.1928) Italian Writer, Film Actor, Director, Engineer
No great advance has ever been made in science, politics, or religion, without controversy.
—Lyman Beecher (1775–1863) American Presbyterian Clergyman
Much of truth is found upon the battlefield of controversy, and it is kept alive by sharp exchanges.
—Lawrence A. Kimpton (1910–73) American Philosopher, Educator
Every difficulty slurred over will be a ghost to disturb your repose later on.
—Frederic Chopin (1810–49) Polish-French Composer, Pianist
A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.
—Chinese Proverb
Misfortunes tell us what fortune is.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
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
Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
Emergencies have always been necessary to progress. It was darkness which produced the lamp. It was fog that produced the compass. It was hunger that drove us to exploration. And it took a depression to teach us the real value of a job.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
Adversity introduces a man to himself.
—Anonymous
I’m very grateful that I was too poor to get to art school until I was 21 … I was old enough when I got there to know how to get something out of it.
—Henry Moore (1898–1986) English Sculptor
We are healed of a suffering only by experiencing it to the full.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
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
The weak sinews become strong by their conflict with difficulties.—Hope is bom in the long night of watching and tears.—Faith visits us in defeat and disappointment, amid the consciousness of earthly frailty and the crumbling tombstones of mortality.
—Edwin Hubbell Chapin (1814–80) American Preacher, Poet
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
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