quotations about adversity
It is more useful to watch a man in times of peril, and in adversity to discern what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn from the depths of his heart, and the mask is torn off, reality remains.
LUCRETIUS
De Rerum Natura
Adversity is the diamond dust Heaven polishes its jewels with.
ROBERT LEIGHTON
attributed, A Dictionary of Thoughts
It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end ... because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing ... this shadow. Even darkness must pass.
SAM
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The shade of faith and the cloak of true godliness is the best equipage for the storm of adversity.
WILLIAM SCOTT DOWNEY
Proverbs
Dealing with adversity is like preparing for surgery. By putting our faith in what the doctor has said, we believe we will be better off if we have the surgery. But that does not make it any less painful. By submitting to the hand of a surgeon, we are saying that our ultimate goal is health, even at the cost of pain. Adversity is the same way. It is a means to an end. It is God's tool for the advancement of our spiritual lives.
CHARLES F. STANLEY
How to Handle Adversity
Adversity is a way of life and God is there in that time of need.
DABO SWINNEY
"Clemson's Dabo Swinney shares 'SWAG' story", Times Enterprise, February 25, 2016
Adversity is the mint in which God stamps upon man his image and superscription.
HENRY WARD BEECHER
Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit
Adversity is a misperception as all works toward the good.
JULIA CAMERON
Prayers to the Great Creator
Adversity has ever been considered the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, then, especially, being free from flatterers.
SAMUEL JOHNSON
attributed, A Dictionary of Thoughts
Difficulties strengthen the mind as labor does the body.
SENECA
Seneca's Morals
In any adversity that happens to us in the world, we ought to consider that misery and affliction are not less natural than snow and hail, storm and tempest: And it were as reasonable to hope for a year without winter, as for a life without trouble.
WELLINS CALCOTT
Thoughts Moral and Divine
Bouncing back from disappointment and adversity is a special aspect of sports competition. Great players and great teams have that ability in them.
BRUCE ARMSTRONG
"Britt wrestlers bounce back, claim regionals", Fay Observer, February 17, 2016
Prosperity is apt to prevent us from examining our conduct; but adversity leads us to think properly of our state, and so is beneficial to us.
BRUCE LEE
Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee's Wisdom for Daily Living
Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity, and stumble from defeat to defeat.
RYSZARD KAPUSCINSKI
Granta
Adversity is like the period of the former and of the latter rain--cold, comfortless, unfriendly to man and to animal; yet from that season have their birth, the flower, and the fruit, the date, the rose, and the pomegranate.
SIR WALTER SCOTT
The Talisman
All the adversity I've had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.
WALT DISNEY
attributed, Pearls: Philosophies for Living a Robust and Fulfilling Life
That thorny path, those stormy skies, have drawn our spirits nearer; and rendered us, by sorrow's ties, each to the other dearer.
BERNARD BARTON
Not Ours the Vows
If we miss the opportunity for growth we waste our adversity and come out on the other side the same.
CLARENCE LEE JR.
"Adversity is Preparation", The Lee Blog
Adversity is opportunity.
DAMION LEE
"From Lewis and Lee, leadership that transcends a scandal", WDRB, February 7, 2016
It's tempting to suppose that adversity is a precursor to strong leadership. But it's not the adversity that foments achievement, it's an individual's response to adversity--their degree of resilience. Resilience, the ability to bounce back after a setback, is an emotional muscle that grows stronger with use. The more frequent and intense the adversity--situations where one is under fire, facing a formidable foe or suffering with hardship--the more one's resilience is tested and fortified. Note the strong relationship between adversity and resilience. Without adversity, our resilience muscles atrophy. If life is too comfortable, we never practice "bouncing back." If we never fail or lose, we miss the confidence-building experience of coming from behind to win.
JOHN ENGELS
"Adversity and resilience can become leadership assets", Rochester Business Journal, January 29, 2016