These 20 quotes about overcoming adversity are for anyone in a hard stretch, whether a job loss, an illness or a rough year. Eight come from writers and leaders, and 12 are original lines. Start with this one: “Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
Famous quotes about overcoming adversity
These eight lines fit when you want a voice with some history behind it, for a card, a speech or a quiet reminder. Each is credited to its source.
If you want the full walkthrough, start with 52 Quotes About Adversity to Help You Keep Going.
- “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese proverb
- “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” — Helen Keller, Optimism (1903)
- “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” — Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom (1994)
- “Sweet are the uses of adversity.” — William Shakespeare, As You Like It (1623)
- “The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.” — Thomas Paine, The American Crisis (1776)
- “I have learned that 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 while trying to succeed.” — Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery (1901)
- “Behind the clouds is the sun still shining.” — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Rainy Day (1842)
- “When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.” — Helen Keller, We Bereaved (1929)
Short quotes about overcoming adversity
Four original lines for a text message, a sticky note or a phone lock screen.
- “Hard seasons end; what you learned in them stays.”
- “You are allowed to rest and still be on your way.”
- “Small steps count most on steep ground.”
- “Not the whole answer, just today’s step.”
Inspirational quotes for when the hard stretch isn’t over
These four original lines suit the middle of a difficulty, when the end isn’t in sight and you need something steady to hold.
- “You don’t have to believe in the outcome yet. Just show up for the next hour.”
- “Strength often looks like one more phone call, one more plan, one more breakfast.”
- “Ask for help the way you would offer it: without keeping score.”
- “The roof leaks and the road washes out, and still you find the next dry step.”
Quotes about coming through to the other side
Four original lines for looking back, whether in a graduation toast, a recovery milestone or a journal entry.
- “Look back and you’ll find the hard year taught you things the easy ones never tried.”
- “Resilience is a list of days you didn’t quit, written in a hand only you can read.”
- “Each hard month you finish is proof you can point to the next time.”
- “Celebrate the ordinary morning that once felt out of reach.”
How to use these quotes
- Card or note. Pair one line with a plain sentence of your own, such as “Thinking of you this week.” The quote then supports your message instead of replacing it.
- Caption. Use a short original line with a photo of a trail, a finish line or an ordinary morning, and let the image carry the story.
- Speech opener. Open with the Mandela line on courage, then tell one short, true story from your own experience.
- Journaling prompt. Copy one line and finish the sentence “The next small step is…” for the day ahead.
If a difficulty feels too heavy to carry alone, talk to someone you trust or a mental health professional. Reaching out is a way of getting through, not a sign of weakness.
FAQ
– What does overcoming adversity mean?
Overcoming adversity means coming through a hardship, such as loss, illness or failure, and continuing to function and grow. It doesn’t require the difficulty to vanish or the pain to be erased. Often it means finding a way forward while the hardship is still part of your life.
– Is adversity good or bad?
Adversity is painful in itself, and quotes that praise it describe what people can gain from coming through it. Shakespeare’s “Sweet are the uses of adversity” points to those gains without claiming the hardship is pleasant. You can honor both the pain and the lessons.
– What is a short quote about overcoming adversity for a card?
“Fall seven times, stand up eight” is a short choice, and it comes from a Japanese proverb. For a more personal tone, try the original line “Small steps count most on steep ground.” Either fits on a small card.