Life can be hard and unpredictable, and adversity makes it even more challenging. During these tough times, your character is tested and you get to discover your full potential as well. So keep on thriving through the difficulties with these 159 adversity quotes.
Adversity Quotes
1. Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. – Napoleon Hill
2. Out of adversity comes opportunity. – Benjamin Franklin
3. Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it. – Horace
4. Adversity is the first path to truth. – Lord Byron
5. One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity. – Albert Schweitzer
6. It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop. – Dieter F. Uchtdorf
7. Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are. – Arthur Golden
8. There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time. – Malcolm X
9. 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
10. Adversity and failure are woven into the fabric of existence; without them, there can be neither test of mettle nor triumph of success. – Dr. Idel Dreimer
11. You’ll never find a better sparring partner than adversity. – Walt Schmidt
12. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes, and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. – Francis Bacon
13. Adversity enhances this tale we call life. – Terri Guillemets
14. God brings men into deep waters, not to drown them, but to cleanse them. – John Aughey
15. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course. – William Shakespeare
16. Sometimes adversity is what you need to face in order to become successful. – Zig Ziglar
17. Good actions are a guard against the blows of adversity. – Abu Bakr
18. Adversity is the diamond dust Heaven polishes its jewels with. – Thomas Carlyle
19. Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men. – Martha Graham
20. If we had not winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. – Anne Bradstreet
21. Prosperity tries the fortunate, adversity the great. – Rose Kennedy
22. 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. – Lee Iacocca
23. Always seek out the seed of triumph in every adversity. – Og Mandino
24. Adversity is not simply a tool. It is God’s most effective tool for the advancement of our spiritual lives. The circumstances and events that we see as setbacks are oftentimes the very things that launch us into periods of intense spiritual growth. Once we begin to understand this, and accept it as a spiritual fact of life, adversity becomes easier to bear. – Charles Stanley
25. Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records. – William Arthur Ward
26. Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity. – Lou Holtz
27. Constant success shows us but one side of the world; adversity brings out the reverse of the picture. – Charles Caleb Colton
28. You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships everyday. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity. – Epicurus
29. In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends. – John Churton Collins
30. Adversity is the trial of principle. Without it, a man hardly knows whether he is honest or not. – Henry Fielding
31. Adversity tests us from time to time and it is inevitable that this testing continues during life. – Walter Annenberg
32. You may live in an imperfect world but the frontiers are not closed and the doors are not all shut. – Maxwell Maltz
33. Adversity, if for no other reason, is of benefit, since it is sure to bring a season of sober reflection. People see clearer at such times. Storms purify the atmosphere. – Henry Ward Beecher
34. Character develops in stream of struggle and adversity. Character is foundation of your inner beauty which reflects in your personality. – Anil Sinha
35. Remember the goodness of God in the frost of adversity. – Charles Spurgeon
36. Adversity leads us to think properly of our state, and so is most beneficial to us. – Samuel Johnson
37. Be moderate in prosperity, prudent in adversity. – Periander
38. Adversity is sometimes hard upon a man; but for one man who can stand prosperity, there are a hundred that will stand adversity. – Elvis Presley
39. 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
40. Adversity draws men together and produces beauty and harmony in life’s relationships, just as the cold of winter produces ice-flowers on the window-panes, which vanish with the warmth. – Soren Kierkegaard
41. If you watch how nature deals with adversity, continually renewing itself, you can’t help but learn. – Bernie Siegel
42. Our faith, trust, and love are proved and revealed in adversities, that is, in difficult and grievous outward and inward circumstances, during sickness, sorrow, and privations. – John of Kronstadt
43. If you know people in your church or your neighborhood that are facing adversity, I encourage you to offer a hand of friendship to them. That is what Jesus would do. – Jonathan Falwell
44. To stand alone against all adversity is the most sacred moment of existence. – Frank Herbert
45. Adversity is the mother of progress. – Mahatma Gandhi
46. Let not adversity oppress thee: be rather like unto the nail; the farther ’tis hammered, the firmer it holds. – Ivan Panin
47. Even the severed branch grows again, and the sunken moon returns: wise men who ponder this are not troubled in adversity. – Bhartrhari
48. Adversity is never the end point; for those faced with a positive attitude, it’s always the beginning. – J. Barry Griswell & Bob Jennings
49. The uncanny ability to overcome adversity is in the DNA of … champions. – Roger Groves
50. One thing I’ve learned in the face of adversity is that better things lie ahead, you just go through some hell to get to your heaven. – Jessica Coston
51. For some adversity comes into our life like an ever-changing kaleidoscope and changes the pattern we laid out for our life. Some others are born into adversity and must learn survival tactics. When adversity is conquered, the skills learned, in the doing, are the golden treasures of life’s experience. – Barbara B. Bergstrom
52. All have their miseries…. He is not truly a man who has not experienced adversity. – Edward Counsel
53. The shade of faith and the cloak of true godliness is the best equipage for the storm of adversity. – William Scott Downey
54. 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
55. Experiencing adversity is a great excuse for people not to take charge of their lives. – Tiffany Mason
56. Adversity is hitting all of us in the mouth. That’s going to happen in life. We have to overcome it. – Taggart Moore
57. Adversity is not a curse, for it is often, if not always, necessary to our welfare and happiness. It is like medicine to the sick, which if it be unpalatable is still salutary. – T. J. Sawyer
58. The self-belief and the willingness to confront adversity is what separate the great from the ordinary. – Indranil Majumdar
59. Adversity is never an excuse. – Mike Max
60. The flower that blooms in adversity is the most beautiful of all. – Susan R. Street-Beavers
61. Adversity is hard, but the only way you are going to come out of it a stronger individual is if you make the most of it, learn from it, and move on. – Maria Baldwin
62. Adversity borrows its sharpest sting from impatience. – Bishop Horne
63. Adversity is a good test of our resiliency, our ability to cope, to stand back up, to recover from misfortune. Adversity is a painful pedagogue. – Charles R. Swindoll
64. Triumphing over adversity is inspirational; recounting bitter and futile loss is not. – Michael Clark
65. Thrive on adversity, train in discomfort, embrace the suck and conquer it. – Lu Lastra
66. Adversity is a misperception as all works toward the good. – Julia Cameron
67. Adversity is a good thing in the long run if everyone involved understands how it shapes their character, and it brings out the true colors of a team. – Broc Threinen
68. Adversity is bitter, but its uses may be sweet. – Brad Thomas
69. The worse our state of wretchedness, the more we are open to receive the blessings of happiness. Adversity is the only tutor of contentment. No man, unless his mouth has been embittered with gall, can taste the true savour of honey. – Anthony Lisle
70. There is no education like adversity. – Benjamin Disraeli
71. Challenge and adversity are meant to help you know who you are. Storms hit your weakness, but unlock your true strength. – Roy T. Bennett
72. I think that little by little I’ll be able to solve my problems and survive. – Frida Kahlo
73. “I’ve learned that everything happens for a reason,” the yogi Krishnan told him. “Every event has a why and all adversity teaches us a lesson… Never regret your past. Accept it as the teacher that it is.” – Robin Sharma
74. All events are blessings given to us to learn from. – Elizabeth Kubler-Ross
75. Every adversity brings new experiences and new lessons. – Lailah Gifty Akita
76. Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity has. – Billy Graham
77. The real heroes are those who rebuild their lives using adversity as a stepping stone to greatness in the midst of the chaos life has thrown at them. – Nikki Rowe
78. Adversity discourages losers; adversity inspires winners. – Debasish Mridha
79. The man of courage is not the man who did not face adversity. The man of courage is the man who faced adversity and spoke to it. The man of courage tells adversity, “You’re trespassing and I give you no authority to steal my joy, my faith or my hope.” – Kiese Laymon
80. Adversity is a mirage. People, situations, and relationships sometimes change for the worst but inevitably clear a path for far better replacements. The continued journey will always find bliss. – Carl Henegan
81. In the ashes of adversity, lies opportunity. – S.L. Coelho
82. From the mud of adversity grows the lotus of joy. – Carolyn Marsden
83. It’s the darkness that enhances the value of light, your success is defined by how you shine in adversity. – Dr Prem Jagyasi
84. In the midst of adversity and great distress, the solution I always found was to go on living. – Marty Rubin
85. Progress is not gauged by improvement in the comfort of our situation. Progress happens when the situation is adverse and we remain normal. – Swami Mukundananda
86. Besides death of a loved one, adversity enhances character and augments wisdom more than any other trial; adversity challenges our will, requires strategic thinking through arduous stretches on our journey. – RJ Intindola
87. The eagle has no fear of adversity. We need to be like the eagle and have a fearless spirit of a conqueror. – Joyce Meyer
88. Through adversity comes bitterness or wisdom. – Carmine Savastano
89. No matter the adversity, you can choose and take actions to determine how your story will be written, told, and end. You are the author, actor, and director no matter who else believes they are. – Jeffrey G. Duarte
90. Tenacity is strength in adversity. – Martin Uzochukwu Ugwu
91. Wealth comes and goes, Rahul. Coming from adversity and overcoming it makes you better not worse than those who never have to. – Sonali Dev
92. The best education we can ever receive is from the University of Adversity. It’s the only place of learning thatrewards us when we fail. – Jason Versey
93. Follow what you’re interested in, yet, it will take you over to adversity and then it will transform you from a citizen into an individual and then the doors will open again and at that point, you’re strong enough to have your life. – Jordan B. Peterson
94. People become great only in the face of adversity. – Dragos Bratasanu
95. Adversity has the remarkable ability of introducing the real you to yourself. – M.B. Dallocchio
96. The essence of adversity is to show us the real brave people who can withstand it. – Israelmore Ayivor
97. Let’s face it. you become a deeper person amidst adversity. You become a more perceptive, strong, resilient person when life is not handed to you on a silver platter held by a butler. – Cathy Lamb
98. Adversity forced awareness on us, and it works, it bites us when we go too near the fire, when we love too hard. Those felt sensations are the beginning of the invention of the self. And if that works, why not feeling disgust for shit, fearing the cliff edge and strangers, remembering insults and favours, liking sex and food? God said, Let there be pain. And there was poetry. Eventually. – Ian McEwan
99. It is never prudent to bury our heads in the sand when in distress or faced with adversity; to place our hands over our eyes in a feeble attempt to hide from the inevitable. – Carlos Wallace
100. Like a sculptor chipping away at the marble, adversity is what chips and crafts us into who we are and what we become. – Nick DiNardo
101. Adversity in our life may seem like a problem, however, adversity can make us grow and learn, an opportunity that we may never have experienced. It all depends on how you look at it. – Catherine Pulsifer
102. 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
103. Because adversity alone has the unique power to inspire exceptional clarity, purge any vestiges of lethargy,refocus your priorities, hone your character, and unleash your most potent forces. – Erik Weihenmayer
104. The point is that we can make choices that help us to move forward through adversity, or we may make choices that assist others to move beyond or through some of life’s issues. – Byron Pulsifer
105. How quickly and responsibly we react to adversity is far more important than the adversity itself. – Jim Rohn
106. If you can’t be brave in the face of adversity, at least be practical. – Clifford Cohen
107. Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity a greater. – William Hazlitt
108. Truth be told, you will never really know just how strong and adamant you are unless adversity strikes. Then you learn courage, you build resilience, you learn to persevere, you build character. – T. Whitmore
109. The very conclusions we reach and the acceptance of the adversity as normal actually serves to perpetuate our adversity. – Richard T. Case
110. If you live long enough, you’ll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you’ll be a better person. It’s how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit. – Bill Clinton
111. By adversity are wrought the greatest works of admiration, and all the fair examples of renown, out of distress and misery are grown. – Samuel Daniel
112. Adversity increases your resourcefulness. – Simon Wright
113. Adversity precedes growth. – Rosemarie Rossett
114. Adversity will teach you a lesson if you are listening and paying attention. – Andrew Wright
115. How to keep loving yourself through adversity and setbacks can make not only make you stronger, but you can also inspire others. – Christopher Epstein
116. I contend that not only can you laugh at adversity, but it is essential to do so if you are to deal with setbacks without defeat. – Allen Klein
117. Turn adversity into purpose. – Layla Herzak
118. Welcome adversity and make it your strength. – Joseph Parker
119. Life is how we react to adversity, and in many cases, is richer because of hardships. – Burman Clark
120. Adversity makes a man wise. – French Proverb
121. Little minds are tamed and subdued by misfortune; but great minds rise above it. – Washington Irving
122. Laugh in the face of adversity, and leap before you look. Dance as though EVERYBODY is watching. March to the beat of your own drummer. And stubbornly refuse to fit in. – Mandy Hale
123. Adversity attracts the man of character. He seeks out the bitter joy of responsibility. – Charles de Gaulle
124. If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small. – Proverbs 24:10
125. A wise man struggling with adversity is said by some heathen writer to be a spectacle on which the gods might look down with pleasure. – Sydney Smith
126. The journey is never ending. There’s always gonna be growth, improvement, adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what’s right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment. – Antonio Brown
127. The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity. – Ulysses S. Grant
128. Soul connections are often formed through the currents of adversity. – Terri Guillemets
129. Adversity is an opportunity for growth. And an opportunity to really know who your friends are. – Megyn Kelly
130. 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
131. In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider. – King Solomon
132. Grit your teeth and smile. In the face of adversity, go. They don’t deserve you. – Christine Lagarde
133. I’ve dealt with a lot of adversity and came out a stronger person. – Will Grier
134. One of the greatest gifts my father gave me – unintentionally – was witnessing the courage with which he bore adversity. We had a bit of a rollercoaster life with some really challenging financial periods. He was always unshaken, completely tranquil, the same ebullient, laughing, jovial man. – Ben Okri
135. As with the butterfly, adversity is necessary to build character in people. – Joseph B. Wirthlin
136. Overcoming adversity not only makes you stronger, it makes you more hopeful. – Valerie Jarrett
137. Life is truly known only to those who suffer, lose, endure adversity and stumble from defeat to defeat. – Anais Nin
138. You can do nothing, or you can take on the challenge of taking on the adversity. You have got to have faith. You have to have faith in whatever you believe in. – Brian Banks
139. Adversity is simply part of earth life. From it we can grow and progress if we choose to. Yes, some trials come because of our own disobedience, but many trials are simply part of life. – John Bytheway
140. Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common acquaintance that is desired less and rewarded most when embraced. – Carolyn Wells
141. In adversity, you have to find motivation to continue and do well. – Alvaro Morata
142. All interesting, worthwhile humans suffered and struggled and overcame adversity of one sort or another. Pain is constructive. Misery can be useful. – Kim Brooks
143. Adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on the pugilist: it reduces him to his fighting weight. – Josh Billings
144. I don’t define myself by my successes. I define myself by adversity and how I’ve persevered. – Shaquem Griffin
145. Mentally strong people overcome setbacks with confidence because adversity only makes them better. – Amy Morin
146. People that are brilliant and successful, we think they’ve just always been that way. That’s not the case. Most of them have had some tough adversity in their life. It’s prepared them. I’ve never felt like you could develop character without adversity. – Bobby Bowden
147. Everyone is handed adversity in life. No one’s journey is easy. It’s how they handle it that makes people unique. – Kevin Conroy
148. You learn from adversity more than anything because it allows you to see so much. It really allows you to see things in a different way. – Draymond Green
149. When we are faced with adversity, when we are tested on who we are and what we stand for, we always pull together. We stand strong for our values and our way of life. We always have, and I know we always will. – Sadiq Khan
150. Adversity isn’t an obstacle that we need to get around in order to resume living our life. It’s part of our life. – Aimee Mullins
151. I have learned there is a gift wrapped inside of every adversity and, if you have faith and hope, you can lose everything and still survive. – Sandi Bachom
152. Adversity does teach who your real friends are. – Lois McMaster Bujold
153. There will always be some curve balls in your life. Teach your children to thrive in that adversity. – Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe
154. Adversity is a severe instructor, set over us by one who knows us better than we do ourselves. – Edmund Burke
155. The winter’s frost must rend the burr of the nut before the fruit is seen. So adversity tempers the human heart, to discover its real worth. – Honore de Balzac
156. No man is more unhappy than the one who is never in adversity; the greatest affliction of life is never to be afflicted. – Victor Hugo
157. The beauty of adversity is that when we hit bottom, the only way to go is up. – Dana Arcuri
158. Adversity does more than build character. It changes the way we see the world. – Michael French
159. Without adversity, there would be no growth, and without growth, there would be no lesson to be learned. – Michelle Cruz