--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I discovered early that the hardest thing…" description: "\"I discovered early that the hardest thing to overcome is not a physical disability but the mental condition which it induces. The world, I found, has a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/alexander-p-de-seversky-78049_apologetic_i-discovered-early-that-the-hardest-thin_2863961.jpg" --- # I discovered early that the hardest thing to overcome is… ![“I discovered early that the hardest thing to overcome is not a physical disability but the mental condition which it induces. The world, I found, has a way of taking a man pretty much at his own rating. If he permits his loss to make him embarrassed and apologetic, he will draw embarrassment from…” quote by Alexander P. de Seversky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/alexander-p-de-seversky-78049_apologetic_i-discovered-early-that-the-hardest-thin_2863961.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/alexander-p-de-seversky-78049_apologetic_i-discovered-early-that-the-hardest-thin_2863961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/422/alexander-p-de-seversky-78049_apologetic_i-discovered-early-that-the-hardest-thin_2863961.jpg) > “I discovered early that the hardest thing to overcome is not a physical disability but the mental condition which it induces. The world, I found, has a way of taking a man pretty much at his own rating. If he permits his loss to make him embarrassed and apologetic, he will draw embarrassment from others. But if he gains his own respect, the respect of those around him comes easily.” Alexander P. de Seversky ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He observes that mental attitudes after a disability shape outcomes more than the physical limitation itself. **In simple terms:** Mindset determines success more than physical ability. Key Takeaway Cultivate self‑respect to earn others’ respect. Themes psychology disability self‑esteem resilience motivation Mood reflective inspirational Type psychological motivational When to use this quote - rehabilitation programs - career counseling - support groups - personal development workshops Key Concepts self‑concept social perception personal agency Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑respect influence others’ perceptions? - What support systems help maintain confidence after injury? A Different Perspective Societal stigma can still limit opportunities despite personal confidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apologetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic/) [Disability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disability/) [Embarrassed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassed/) [Embarrassment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/embarrassment/) [Inspiration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiration/) [Loss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loss/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I've overcome physical and mental brutality - and fought back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatum-o-neal/i-ve-overcome-physical-and-mental-brutality-and-fought-back/) [Tatum O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatum-o-neal/) > [“I’m supposed to overcome my disability to make it easier to manage for people who I don’t even want in my life. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-leigh-stewart/i-m-supposed-to-overcome-my-disability-to-make-it-easier-to-manage/) [Christy Leigh Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-leigh-stewart/) > [I lost my parents, which is the toughest thing to overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imran-tahir/i-lost-my-parents-which-is-the-toughest-thing-to-overcome/) [Imran Tahir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imran-tahir/) > [Weight was a big thing for me to overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-williams/weight-was-a-big-thing-for-me-to-overcome/) [Wendy Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-williams/) > [There is no thing we cannot overcome Say not thy evil instinct is inherited, Or that some trait inborn makes thy whole life forlorn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/there-is-no-thing-we-cannot-overcome-say-not-thy-evil-instinct-is/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [The hardest thing I had to overcome in life? I think racism. That's so difficult because I don't think anyone can ever understand it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herschel-walker/the-hardest-thing-i-had-to-overcome-in-life-i-think-racism-that-s-so/) [Herschel Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herschel-walker/) > [Your physical disability can onlydelay your success, but cant take it away from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/your-physical-disability-can-onlydelay-your-success-but-cant-take-it/) Mak\_786 > [physical disability looms pretty large in one's life. But it doesn't devour one wholly. I'm not, for instance, Ms. MS, a walking, talking embodiment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mairs/physical-disability-looms-pretty-large-in-one-s-life-but-it-doesn-t/) [Nancy Mairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mairs/) > [I've fought physical disability and was cured because of naturopathy and yoga.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sangram-singh/i-ve-fought-physical-disability-and-was-cured-because-of-naturopathy/) [Sangram Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sangram-singh/) > [Whether it's depression or a physical disability, not everyone wants to be seen as a victim.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-rife/whether-it-s-depression-or-a-physical-disability-not-everyone-wants/) [Matt Rife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-rife/) > [It's extraordinary how a physical disability makes people think that somebody is frail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-linley/it-s-extraordinary-how-a-physical-disability-makes-people-think-that/) [David Linley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-linley/) > [By conquering all the seven summits I will prove that physical disability can never be a hindrance in achieving your life's goal if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunima-sinha/by-conquering-all-the-seven-summits-i-will-prove-that-physical/) [Arunima Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunima-sinha/) > [“If you are disabled, it is probably not your fault, but it is no good blaming the world or expecting it to take pity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/if-you-are-disabled-it-is-probably-not-your-fault-but-it-is-no-good/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [There's a tendency to treat anyone with a physical disability as inspiring. I call it a pedestal of prejudice, in that you're lifting people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-anner/there-s-a-tendency-to-treat-anyone-with-a-physical-disability-as/) [Zach Anner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-anner/) > [Living with bipolar, schizophrenia or any other mental condition takes a recognition that one has a chronic condition that needs managing. The management can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/living-with-bipolar-schizophrenia-or-any-other-mental-condition-takes/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) ## More by Alexander P. de Seversky > [Only air power can defeat air power. The actual elimination or even stalemating of an attacking air force can be achieved only by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-p-de-seversky/only-air-power-can-defeat-air-power-the-actual-elimination-or-even/) Alexander P. de Seversky > [Air power speaks a strategic language so new that translation into the hackneyed idiom of the past is impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-p-de-seversky/air-power-speaks-a-strategic-language-so-new-that-translation-into/) Alexander P. de Seversky Explore all 3 Alexander P. de Seversky quotes ## More Apologetic quotes > [If writing with a goal - whether it be evangelistic, apologetic, or didactic - implies propaganda, then all recorded history is propaganda. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/if-writing-with-a-goal-whether-it-be-evangelistic-apologetic-or/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) > [In the New Testament alone there are Gospels, acts, epistles, and an apocalypse. Gospels contain literary forms like miracles, parables, pronouncements, proverbs, farewell discourses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-blomberg/in-the-new-testament-alone-there-are-gospels-acts-epistles-and-an/) [Craig Blomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-blomberg/) > [We preach sermons, write books on apologetics, conduct city-wide evangelistic campaigns. For those alienated from the church, that approach no longer has the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/we-preach-sermons-write-books-on-apologetics-conduct-city-wide/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [The purpose of apologetics is not just to win an argument or a discussion, but that people with whom we are in contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-purpose-of-apologetics-is-not-just-to-win-an-argument-or-a/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [I'm a single-issue voter, to get straight to the point. I'm really only interested in the candidate who's toughest and least apologetic when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-m-a-single-issue-voter-to-get-straight-to-the-point-i-m-really-only/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is a vocation and, as in any other calling, a writer should develop his talents for the greater glory of God. Novels should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-paul-read/writing-is-a-vocation-and-as-in-any-other-calling-a-writer-should/) Piers Paul Read > [... and yet he could also be very charming, in a bookish, infinitely apologetic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/and-yet-he-could-also-be-very-charming-in-a-bookish-infinitely/) [Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/) > [When I started playing in bands, we had to be apologetic for what we did. We had to be apologetic because the mainstream was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-antonoff/when-i-started-playing-in-bands-we-had-to-be-apologetic-for-what-we/) [Jack Antonoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-antonoff/) > [“The snow lay thin and apologetic over the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cooper/the-snow-lay-thin-and-apologetic-over-the-world/) [Susan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cooper/) > [In a post-modern culture we need an apologetic that is felt and seen because if post-moderns are not feeling it, they are not believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/in-a-post-modern-culture-we-need-an-apologetic-that-is-felt-and-seen/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [I'm apologetic when I feel like I've made a mistake. And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-apologetic-when-i-feel-like-i-ve-made-a-mistake-and-when-i-have/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I know I'm an overachiever, and I'm not apologetic about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-know-i-m-an-overachiever-and-i-m-not-apologetic-about-it/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [Apologetics has an important place in the local church as we seek to influence our communities for Christ in an increasingly skeptical culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/apologetics-has-an-important-place-in-the-local-church-as-we-seek-to/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [If you don't feel apologetic for slavery, if you don't feel apologetic for colonialism, if you feel proud of it then say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/if-you-don-t-feel-apologetic-for-slavery-if-you-don-t-feel-apologetic/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Most apologetic books are really written for Christians, even the ones that purport to be written for non-believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/most-apologetic-books-are-really-written-for-christians-even-the-ones/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Browse all 127 Apologetic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I discovered early that the hardest thing to overcome is not a physical disability but the mental condition which it induces. 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