Ralph Waldo Emerson
Essayist, Philosopher, Poet
"What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you."
Adversity quotes
Adversity
1.4K quotes on this topic — from poets, philosophers, and thinkers across history.
Mahatma Gandhi
Political Leader
"Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit."
Cyrus the Great
King
"In my experience, men who respond to good fortune with modesty and kindness are harder to find than those who face adversity with courage."
Alexander Graham Bell
Inventor
"Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open."
Napoleon Bonaparte
Military Leader, Emperor
"Adversity is the midwife of genius"
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Browse quotes that often appear alongside adversity — connected by shared ideas and recurring themes.
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Adversity quotes (page 1 of 68)
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"The eagle has no fear of adversity. We need to be like the eagle and have a fearless spirit of a conqueror!"
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"It takes no more time to see the good side of life than to see the bad."
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"The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us"
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"We must not wish for the disappearance of our troubles but for the grace to transform them."
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"Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch - what make you go beyond the norm."
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"In all trouble you should seek God. You should not set Him over against your troubles, but within them. God can only relieve your troubles if you in your anxiety cling to Him. Trouble should not really be thought of as this thing or that in particular, for our whole life on earth involves trouble; and through the troubles of our earthly pilgrimage we find God."
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"Men succeed when they realize that their failures are the preparation for their victories."
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"The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is, not to frighten them, but to challenge them."
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"The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing."
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"You'll never find a better sparring partner than adversity."
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"We become wiser by adversity; prosperity destroys our appreciation of the right."
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"If you don't like your situation in life, don't fret or worry--do something about it. Worry less, and act more."
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"It constantly happens that the Lord permits a soul to fall so that it may grow humbler."
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"You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him to a heavy load."
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"Adversity introduces a man to himself."
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"I thank God for my handicaps. For through them, I have found myself, my work and my God."
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"Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick the fruit."
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"The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned."
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"Israel was not created in order to disappear - Israel will endure and flourish. It is the child of hope and the home of the brave. It can neither be broken by adversity nor demoralized by success. It carries the shield of democracy and it honors the sword of freedom."
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"In time of difficulties, we must not lose sight of our achievements."
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