There is no education like adversity.
—Benjamin Disraeli (1804–81) British Head of State
The New Frontier I speak of is not a set of promises—it is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I intend to offer the American people, but what I intent to ask of them.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man can store up in his ghosty heart
—F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) American Novelist
Remember, always give your best. Never get discouraged. Never be petty. Always remember, others may hate you. But those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself.
—Richard Nixon (1913–94) American Head of State, Lawyer
It’s a troublesome world. All the people who’re in it are troubled with troubles almost every minute. You ought to be thankful, a whole heaping lot, for the places and people you’re lucky you’re not.
—Theodor Seuss Geisel (‘Dr. Seuss’) (1904–91) American Children’s Books Writer, Writer, Cartoonist, Animator
Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
In every difficult situation is potential value. Believe this, then begin looking for it.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the lowest, imagine you are a person with a level 2 strength of character and attitude looking at a level 5 problem. Would this problem appear to be big or little? From a level 2 perspective, a level 5 problem would seem like a big problem. Now imagine you’ve grown yourself and become a level 8 person. Would the same level 5 problem be a big problem or a little problem? Magically, the identical problem is now a little problem
Finally, imagine that you’ve really worked hard on yourself and become a level 10 person. Now, is this same level 5 problem a big problem or a little problem? The answer is that it’s no problem. It doesn’t even register in your brain as a problem. There’s no negative energy around it. It’s just a normal occurrence to handle, like brushing your teeth or getting dressed.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find his right road.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat
The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
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
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
The heights charm us, but the steps do not; with the mountain in our view we love to walk the plains.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Suicide is a crime the most revolting to the feelings; nor does any reason suggest itself to our understanding by which it can be justified. It certainly originates in that species of fear which we denominate poltroonery. For what claim can that man have to courage who trembles at the frowns of fortunes? True heroism consists in being superior to the ills of life in whatever shape they may challenge him to combat.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
The new American finds his challenge and his love in the traffic-choked streets, skies nested in smog, choking with the acids of industry, the screech of rubber and houses leashed in against one another while the town lets wither a time and die.
—John Steinbeck (1902–68) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Journalist
You must do the things you think you cannot do.
—Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962) American First Lady, Diplomat, Humanitarian
Never underestimate your problem or your ability to deal with it.
—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015) American Christian Televangelist, Author
Life is a challenge, meet it! Life is a dream, realize it! Life is a game, play it! Life is Love, enjoy it.
—Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011) Indian Hindu Religious Leader
Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.
—Helen Keller (1880–1968) American Author
Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I’ve bought a big bat. I’m all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!
—Theodor Seuss Geisel (‘Dr. Seuss’) (1904–91) American Children’s Books Writer, Writer, Cartoonist, Animator
Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.
—Bruce Lee (1940–73) American Martial Artist, Actor, Philosopher
How you respond to the challenge in the second half will determine what you become after the game, whether you are a winner or a loser.
—Lou Holtz (1893–1980) American Stage Performer
It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed … The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All history will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure. Great necessities call out great virtues.
—Abigail Adams (1744–1818) American First Lady
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Don’t be afraid to challenge the pros, even in their own backyard.
—Colin Powell (1937–2021) American Military Leader
Adversity causes some men to break, others to break records.
—William Arthur Ward (1921–94) American Author
Woman must not accept; she must challenge. She must not be awed by that which has been built up around her; she must reverence that woman in her which struggles for expression.
—Margaret Sanger (1883–1966) American Birth-Control Campaigner
Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.
—Kofi Annan (1938–2018) Ghanaian Statesman, International Diplomat
Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune, but great minds rise above it.
—Washington Irving (1783–1859) American Essayist, Biographer, Historian
I don’t run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet
—Nadia Comaneci (b.1961) Romanian-born American Gymnast
Please know I am quite aware of the hazards. I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others.
—Amelia Earhart (1897–1937) American Aviator
One must be aware that one is continually being tested in what one wishes most in order to make clear whether one’s heart is on earth or in heaven.
—Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan (1916–2004) British Sufi Mystic, Religious Leader, Psychologist
Problems are the price of progress. Don’t bring me anything but trouble. Good news weakens me.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
What to do if you find yourself stuck in a crack in the ground underneath a giant boulder you can’t move, with no hope of rescue. Consider how lucky you are that life has been good to you so far. Alternatively, if life hasn’t been good to you so far, which given your current circumstances seems more likely, consider how lucky you are that it won’t be troubling you much longer.
—Douglas Adams (1952–2001) English Novelist, Scriptwriter
Leadership is the challenge to be something more than average.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
Impossibilities are merely things which we have not yet learned.
—Charles W. Chesnutt (1858–1932) American Novelist, Essayist, Political Activist, Short Story Write
The hardest times for me were not when people challenged what I said, but when I felt my voice was not heard.
—Carol Gilligan
We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.
—May Sarton (1912–95) American Children’s Books Writer, Poet, Novelist
Only as a warrior can one withstand the path of knowledge. A warrior cannot complain or regret anything. His life is an endless challenge, and challenges cannot possibly be good or bad. Challenges are simply challenges.
—Carlos Castaneda (1925–98) Peruvian-born American Anthropologist, Author
The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it.
—Warren Bennis (1925–2014) American Business Academic, Author
A powerful idea communicates some of its strength to him who challenges it.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.
—Mother Teresa (1910–97) Roman Catholic Missionary, Nun
If someone says can’t, that shows you what to do.
—John Cage (1912–92) American Composer
He isn’t a real boss until he has trained subordinates to shoulder most of his responsibilities
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous
—Indian Proverb
I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may eventually get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart
—Dorothy Day (1897–1980) American Journalist, Christian Activist