Motivational Quotes

Adversity

Had there been no difficulties and no thorns in the way, then man would have been in his primitive state and no progress made in civilization and mental culture.

- Joshee, Anandabai

Best Quotes about Adversity

There are times in everyone's life when something constructive is born out of adversity... when things seem so bad that you've got to grab your fate by the shoulders and shake it.

The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a loftier character.

Scott, Sir Walter

It is easy enough to be pleasant, When life flows by like a song. But the man worth while is the one who can smile, when everything goes dead wrong. For the test of the heart is troubled, And it always comes with the years. And the smiles that is worth the praises of earth is the smile that shines through tears.

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler

Do not free the camel of the burden of his hump; you may be freeing him from being a camel.

Chesterton, Gilbert K.

You don't develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.

Angelis, Barbara De

The worst thing that happens to you may be the best thing for you if you don't let it get the best of you.

Rogers, Will

Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.

Ford, Henry

Adversity causes some men to break, others to break records.

Ward, William A.

Two frogs fell into a bowl of cream. One didn't panic, he relaxed and drowned. The other kicked and struggled so much that the cream turned to butter and he walked out.

10.

Life has meaning only in the struggle. Triumph or defeat is in the hands of the Gods. So let us celebrate the struggle!

Swahili Warrior Song

11.

Nothing splendid was ever created in cold blood. Heat is required to forge anything. Every great accomplishment is the story of a flaming heart.

Glasgow, Arnold H.

12.

Cushion the painful effects of hard blows by keeping the enthusiasm going strong, even if doing so requires struggle.

Peale, Norman Vincent

13.

No untroubled day has ever dawned for me.

Seneca

14.

To accuse others for one's own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one's education is complete.

Epictetus

15.

Always continue the climb. It is possible for you to do whatever you choose, if you first get to know who you are and are willing to work with a power that is greater than ourselves to do it.

Winfrey, Oprah

16.

Tough times never last, but tough people do.

Schuller, Robert H.

17.

You may live in an imperfect world but the frontiers are not closed and the doors are not all shut.

Maltz, Maxwell

18.

The seaman tells stories of winds, the ploughman of bulls; the soldier details his wounds, the shepherd his sheep.

Propertius, Sextus

19.

Humanity either makes, or breeds, or tolerates all its afflictions.

Wells, H.G.

20.

What is to give light must endure the burning.

Frankl, Viktor E.

21.

If your knees are knocking, kneel on them.

22.

Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead.

Brown, Les

23.

When things are bad, we take comfort in the thought that they could always get worse. And when they are, we find hope in the thought that things are so bad they have to get better.

Forbes, Malcolm S.

24.

When something an affliction happens to you, you either let it defeat you, or you defeat it.

Russell, Rosalind

25.

I used to hurt so badly that I'd ask God why, what have I done to deserve any of this? I feel now He was preparing me for this, for the future. That's the way I see it.

Jackson, Janet

26.

As a rule, adversity reveals genius and prosperity hides it.

Horace

27.

The bravest sight in the world is to see a great man struggling against adversity.

Seneca

28.

Prosperity tries the fortunate, adversity the great.

Pliny The Elder

29.

It is not good for all our wishes to be filled; through sickness we recognize the value of health; through evil, the value of good; through hunger, the value of food; through exertion, the value of rest.

Saying, Greek

30.

You'll never find a better sparring partner than adversity.

Schmidt, Walt

31.

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you.

Proverb, Maori

32.

There is in every woman's heart a spark of heavenly fire which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.

Irving, Washington

33.

We say, sorrow, disaster, calamity. God says,chastening and it sounds sweet to him though it is a discord to our ears. Don't faint when you are rebuked, and don't despise the chastening of the Lord. In your patience possess your souls.

Chambers, Oswald

34.

You never know what events are going to transpire to get you home.

Movie, Apollo 13

35.

Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.

Horace

36.

They sicken at the calm that know the storm.

Parker, Dorothy

37.

The one who prosperity takes too much delight in will be the most shocked by reverses.

Horace

38.

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

Casey, M Kathleen

39.

When a man gets to despair he knows that all his thinking will never get him out. He will only get out by the sheer creative effort of God. Consequently he is in the right attitude to receive from God that which he cannot gain for himself.

Chambers, Oswald

40.

Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.

James, William

41.

Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile I caught hell for it.

Warren, Earl

42.

We see many who are struggling against adversity who are happy, and more although abounding in wealth, who are wretched.

Tacitus, Publius Cornelius

43.

The depth of darkness to which you can descend and still live is an exact measure of the height to which you can aspire to reach.

Post, Laurens Van du

44.

If the going is real easy, beware, you may be headed down hill and don't know it.

45.

Adversity is a great teacher, but this teacher makes us pay dearly for its instruction; and often the profit we derive, is not worth the price we paid.

Rousseau, Jean Jacques

46.

In terms of the game theory, we might say the universe is so constituted as to maximize play. The best games are not those in which all goes smoothly and steadily toward a certain conclusion, but those in which the outcome is always in doubt. Similarly, the geometry of life is designed to keep us at the point of maximum tension between certainty and uncertainty, order and chaos. Every important call is a close one. We survive and evolve by the skin of our teeth. We really wouldn't want it any other way.

Leonard, George

47.

Men often bear little grievances with less courage than they do large misfortunes.

Aesop

48.

It takes a real storm in the average person's life to make him realize how much worrying he has done over the squalls.

Advisor, Heartland

49.

Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be the catalyst for choosing a direction that serves us--and those around us -- more effectively. Look for the learning.

Allenbaugh, Eric

50.

The sooner I fall behind, the more time I have to catch up.