176+ Hardship Quotes to Overcome Adversity

Inspirational deep hardship quotes are universal nuggets of wisdom and may help shift your perspective.

Whatever your philosophy about life is, I am sure that one of these profound hardship quotes is sure to resonate with you. Also, they help you structure and reflect upon your daily thoughts and problems.

Here, I’ve rounded up the best powerful hardship quotes:

Best Hardship Quotes

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Any man can win when things go his way, it’s the man who overcomes adversity that is the true champion. Jock Ewing

Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity and stumble from defeat to defeat. Anais Nin

You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice. Bob Marley

In adversity, remember to keep an even mind. Horace

In times of adversity and change, we really discover who we are and what we’re made of. Howard Schultz

A challenge only becomes an obstacle when you bow to it. Ray Davis

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm. Abraham Lincoln

Hope is holding on to the promises of God. Lailah Gifty Akita

Rock bottom became the solid foundation in which I built my life. J.K. Rowling

Mentally strong people overcome setbacks with confidence because adversity only makes them better. Amy Morin

My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength. Michael Jordan

You can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you. Mary Tyler Moore

Fresh activity is the only means of overcoming adversity. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict. William Ellery Channing

You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass. Timber Hawkeye

A woman is like a tea bag – you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water. Eleanor Roosevelt

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. Dale Carnegie

Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging. Joseph Campbell

Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. Helen Keller

Those who have succeeded have also had the ability to overcome adversity, disappointment, and even tragedy in their lives. LaVell Edwards

Happiness isn’t something that depends on our surroundings…it’s something we make inside ourselves. Corrie ten Boom

top hardship quotes

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. C.S. Lewis

We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided. J.K. Rowling

When you fall on your face, rise on your feet! Matshona Dhliwayo

Adversity has ever been considered the state in which a man most easily becomes acquainted with himself. Samuel Jackson

Sometimes good comes through adversity. I would not be who I am today had it not been for the internment, and I like who I am. Ruth Asawa

Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records. William Arthur Ward

I want to be a Role Model and I want to show kids that you can be strong and overcome adversity. Paula Creamer

These positive quotes about change will inspire positivity and good, happy feelings.

Famous Hardship Quotes

He who believes is strong; he who doubts is weak. Strong convictions precede great actions. Louisa May Alcott

Adversity is preparation for greatness. Andy Andrews

Turning feelings into words can help us process and overcome adversity. Sheryl Sandberg

When life hands you dirt plant seeds. Matshona Dhliwayo

Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change. Martin Luther King Jr.

I consider adversity to be good sometimes, you know. Brett Favre

You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. Epicurus

Adversity is the first path to truth. Lord Byron

Prosperity is no just scale; adversity is the only balance to weigh friends. Plutarch

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. Washington Irving

Make up your mind that no matter what comes your way, no matter how difficult, no matter how unfair, you will do more than simply survive. You will thrive in spite of it. Joel Osteen

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Winston Churchill

And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about. Haruki Murakami

Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition – such as lifting weights – we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity. Stephen Covey

Anyone can give up; it is the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect you to fall apart, now that is true strength. Chris Bradford

Adversity, which looks and feels like such a determined enemy, can become a valuable ally. Only you can decide which it will be. Joni Eareckson Tada

You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice. Bob Marley

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. Napoleon Hill

Stand up straight and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances. Maya Angelou

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. Thomas Edison

Be like stars; instead of cursing the darkness, shine. Matshona Dhliwayo

I learned to take those experiences that were difficult in my life and in the adversity that I had overcome to use it for a positive change. Dominique Moceanu

Because some people see a wall, and assume that’s the end of their journey. Others see it, and decide it’s just the beginning. Angeline Trevena

Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work through difficult problems. Gever Tulley

You can’t really be strong until you can see a funny side to things. Ken Kesey

positive hardship quotes

If you are facing a new challenge or being asked to do something that you have never done before don’t be afraid to step out. You have more capability than you think you do but you will never see it unless you place a demand on yourself for more. Joyce Meyer

You should always want your coach to be critical. It gives you an opportunity to learn and to overcome adversity. Steve Nash

The most successful people see adversity not as a stumbling block, but as a stepping-stone to greatness. Shawn Anchor

You’ll never find a better sparring partner than adversity.  Golda Meir

Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of the success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourself a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere, and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles. Helen Keller

There is a saying in Tibetan, ‘Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.’ No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster. th Dalai Lama

It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life story will develop. Dieter F. Uchtdorf

She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails. Elizabeth Edwards

Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Oprah Winfrey

There is meaning in every journey that is unknown to the traveler. Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Everyone is handed adversity in life. No one’s journey is easy. It’s how they handle it that makes people unique. Kevin Conroy

Victory is always possible for the person who refuses to stop fighting. Napoleon Hill

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. Booker T. Washington

Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity. Lou Holtz

Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless. Scott Hamilton

In the middle of a difficulty lies opportunity. Albert Einstein

I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it. Maya Angelou

The most beautiful people I’ve known are those who have known trials, have known struggles, have known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. Elizabeth Kübler-Ross

Hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity. Coco Chanel

Rock bottom became the solid foundation in which I built my life. J.K. Rowling

Let best short inspirational quotes make a profound positive impact in your life.

Powerful Hardship Quotes

Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars. Khalil Gibran

The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. Molière

Hard times may have held you down, but they will not last forever. When all is said and done, you will be increased. Joel Osteen

Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life. I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well. Theodore Roosevelt

When all seems to be against you, remember, a ship sometimes has to sail against the current, not with it. Matshona Dhliwayo

Like tiny seeds with potent power to push through tough ground and become mighty trees, we hold innate reserves of unimaginable strength. We are resilient. Catherine DeVrye

Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand. Oprah Winfrey

Conquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one’s liberty.

The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials. Chinese Proverb

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing. Theodore Roosevelt

Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are. Bernice Johnson Reagon

Prosperity is not without many fears and distates; adversity not without many comforts and hopes. Francis Bacon

Challenge and adversity are meant to help you know who you are. Storms hit your weakness, but unlock your true strength. Roy T. Bennett

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. Robert Kennedy

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places. Ernest Hemingway

One thing about championship teams is they’re resilient. No matter what is thrown at them, no matter how deep the hole, find a way to bounce back and overcome adversity. Nick Saban

There is no education like adversity. Benjamin Disraeli

Hard times build determination and inner strength. Through them we can also come to appreciate the uselessness of anger. Dalai Lama

deep hardship quotes

I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person. Rita Mero

When we least expect it, life sets up a challenge to test our courage and willingness to change; at such a moment, there is no point in pretending that nothing has happened or in saying that we are not yet ready. The challenge will not wait. Life does not look back. Paulo Coelho

A man is insensible to the relish of prosperity until he has tasted adversity. Saadi

It is really wonderful how much resilience there is in human nature. Let any obstructing cause, no matter what, be removed in any way, even by death, and we fly back to first principles of hope and enjoyment. Bram Stoker

The road to success is paved with doubters and haters. Matshona Dhliwayo

All adverse and depressing influences can be overcome, not by fighting, by rising above them. Charles Caleb Colton

Be strong, be fearless, be beautiful. And believe that anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you. Misty Copeland

You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it. Maya Angelou

The people who best use their advantages, or overcome adversity, and work honestly are those most worthy of admiration. Ben Bernanke

Every challenge, every adversity, contains within it the seeds of opportunity and growth. Roy Bennett

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. Robert F. Kennedy

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Some people will just go with the flow of things and sway in life, while others will fight against the currents and go upstream to reach their destiny. Anthony Liccione

Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.

Good things are often birthed from adversity. Robert A. Schuller

Adversity is like a strong wind. I don’t mean just that it holds us back from places we might otherwise go. It also tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that afterward we see ourselves as we really are, and not merely as we might like to be. Arthur Golden

Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before. James Buckham

There are uses to adversity, and they don’t reveal themselves until tested. Whether it’s serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unexpected strengths. Sonia Sotomayor

The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up. ROBERT TEW

The beauty of the soul shines out when a man bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because he does not feel them, but because he is a man of high and heroic temper. Aristotle

It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop. Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Confucius

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

A new challenge keeps the brain kicking and the heart ticking. E. A. Bucchianeri

Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently. Maya Angelou

Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you. Ovid

Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the hero within us is revealed. Bob Riley

Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful. Zig Ziglar

And famous wolf quotes will inspire positivity and happy feelings.

Inspirational Hardship Quotes

The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. J.K. Rowling

Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end. Roy T. Bennett

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor. Truman Capote

Bad things happen, and sometimes a bad thing, later on down the line, turns out to not be bad at all, even though at the time you wouldn’t have known it. Kenneth Arthur

Adversity, similar to lava, appears to destroy everything in its way. But out of the ashes and smoke, new, better, and stronger things emerge that may have not been born in any other way. Zoe V

Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly. Robert F. Kennedy

hardship quotes

Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again. Nelson Mandela

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

Hard times are sometimes blessings in disguise. We do have to suffer but in the end it makes us strong, better and wise. Anurag Prakash Ray

We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey. Kenji Miyazawa

I’ve never known anybody to achieve anything without overcoming adversity. Lou Holtz

Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body. Lucius Annaeus Seneca

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

Today’s tears water tomorrow’s gardens. Matshona Dhliwayo

In spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser and happier as a result. Joseph B. Wirthlin

And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about. Haruki Murakami

Overcome your crosses. Earn your crown. Matshona Dhliwayo

Adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on the pugilist: it reduces him to his fighting weight. Josh Billings

Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle. Napoleon Hill

I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean

The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt. Max Lerner

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. Hellen Keller

We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. Barbara De Angelis

One’s best success comes after their greatest disappointments. Henry Ward Beecher

No matter how bleak or menacing a situation may appear, it does not entirely own us. It can’t take away our freedom to respond, our power to take action. Ryder Carroll

Nothing is more beautiful than the smile that has struggled through the tears. Demi Lovato

Adversity introduces a man to himself. Albert Einstein

I think whether you’re having setbacks or not, the role of a leader is to always display a winning attitude. Colin Powell

To help you face challenges, read this post about naturally boosting your energy and these ways to encourage a growth mindset.

All the world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming. Helen Keller

It’s part of life to have obstacles. It’s about overcoming obstacles; that’s the key to happiness. Herbie Hancock

Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. J.K. Rowling

Fire is the test of gold. Adversity, of strong men. Martha Graham

With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.

Goals give you a mark to shoot for and keep you motivated when you face adversity. Benjamin Watson

A setback is a setup for a comeback. T.D. Jakes

Use what you’ve been through as fuel, believe in yourself and be unstoppable! Yvonne Pierre

He who doesn’t want to face his challenges shall always face challenges! Ernest Agyemang Yeboah

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

Hang in there. Trust that those winds of adversity are blowing away what’s not needed while making you stronger. Anonymous

If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are? T.S. Eliot

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. Mahatma Gandhi

The key to life is accepting challenges. Once someone stops doing this, he’s dead. Bette Davis

I haven’t always acted or reacted in a way that made me proud, but I didn’t make that same mistake twice, and I think that’s what I love about adversity is that it always reminds me of what’s really valuable in life. Sandra Bullock

And one has to understand that braveness is not the absence of fear but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear. Paulo Coelho

Taking the time to look to inspiring better days quotes can help keep the flame of positivity burning bright within your life.