To know yet to think that one does not know is best; Not to know yet to think that one knows will lead to difficulty.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
The greatest difficulties lie where we are not looking for them.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Difficulties should act as a tonic. They should spur us to greater exertion.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty.
—Peter Marshall (1902–49) Scottish-American Preacher, 57th US Senate Chaplain
Everyone has talent at twenty-five. The difficulty is to have it at fifty.
—Edgar Degas (1834–1917) French Painter, Sculptor
The difficulties you meet will resolve themselves as you advance. Proceed, and light will dawn, and shine with increasing clearness on your path.
—Jean le Rond d’Alembert (1717–83) French Philosopher, Mathematician
Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.
—Edward R. Murrow (1908–65) American Broadcast Journalist
To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: First, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask?
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
In grave difficulties, and with little hope, the boldest measures are the safest.
—Livy (Titus Livius) (59 BCE–17 CE) Roman Historian
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
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
Grace is the absence of everything that indicates pain or difficulty, hesitation or incongruity.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
The difficulty we have in accepting responsibility for our behavior lies in the desire to avoid the pain of the consequences of that behavior.
—M. Scott Peck (1936–2005) American Psychiatrist, Author
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
The eternal stars shine out as soon as it is dark enough.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
My difficulties belong to me !
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
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) American Poet
Hardship makes the world obscure.
—Don DeLillo (b.1936) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
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
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
The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.
—M. Scott Peck (1936–2005) American Psychiatrist, Author
The Promised Land always lies on the other side of a Wilderness.
—Havelock Ellis (1859–1939) British Essayist, Physician
When we are sure that we are on the right road there is no need to plan our journey too far ahead. No need to burden ourselves with doubts and fears as to the obstacles that may bar our progress. We cannot take more than one step at a time.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
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
In youth we run into difficulties. In old age difficulties run into us.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
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
Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
All things are difficult before they are easy.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
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
The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it.—Skilful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
—Epicurus (c.341–270 BCE) Greek Philosopher
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