--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The merit of all things lies in their…" description: "\"The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.\" — Alexandre Dumas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/alexandre-dumas-436_adversity_the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-di_3166932.jpg" --- # The merit of all things lies in their difficulty. ![“The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.” quote by Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/alexandre-dumas-436_adversity_the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-di_3166932.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/alexandre-dumas-436_adversity_the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-di_3166932.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/alexandre-dumas-436_adversity_the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-di_3166932.jpg) > “The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.” [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Value emerges from challenges; difficulty gives meaning to achievement. **In simple terms:** Hard things are valuable. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges to find worth. Themes challenge value effort Mood reflective determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - sports training - academic research - personal growth Key Concepts existentialism human experience Questions to Reflect On - What difficulty have you avoided? - How does struggle shape your identity? A Different Perspective Difficulty can be overwhelming and discourage effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulty/) [Lies Difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies-difficulty-5748522/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit/) [Merit Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit-things-5748521/) [Things Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-lies-666159/) ## Related quotes > [The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/the-meaning-of-things-lies-not-in-the-things-themselves-but-in-our-2/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Lady, I do not make up things. That is lies. Lies are not true. But the truth could be made up if yo know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/lady-i-do-not-make-up-things-that-is-lies-lies-are-not-true-but-the/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude towards them in particular caused by what we compare it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/the-meaning-of-things-lies-not-in-the-things-themselves-but-in-our/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Day and night she had drudged and struggled and thrown her soul into her work, and there was not much of her left over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/day-and-night-she-had-drudged-and-struggled-and-thrown-her-soul-into/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [Behind all seen things lies something vaster; everything is but a path, a portal or a window opening on something other than iteself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/behind-all-seen-things-lies-something-vaster-everything-is-but-a-path/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [“Baggage is just the lies you tell yourself about the way things are. Those lies clutter up and obscure a clear perception of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annette-vaillancourt/baggage-is-just-the-lies-you-tell-yourself-about-the-way-things-are/) [Annette Vaillancourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annette-vaillancourt/) > [Assurance and intrepidity, under the white banner of seeming modesty, clear the way for merit, that would otherwise be discouraged by difficulties...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/assurance-and-intrepidity-under-the-white-banner-of-seeming-modesty/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [I know well, Monsieur, how much you have to endure in your present duty, and I ask Our Lord to strengthen you in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-know-well-monsieur-how-much-you-have-to-endure-in-your-present-duty/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [We are always in a hurry to be happy...; for when we have suffered a long time, we have great difficulty in believing in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/we-are-always-in-a-hurry-to-be-happy-for-when-we-have-suffered-a-long/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Do not be afraid of your difficulties.Do not wish you could be in other circumstances than you are. For when you have made the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-afraid-of-your-difficulties-do-not-wish-you-could-be-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The difficulty comes from our lack of confidence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/the-difficulty-comes-from-our-lack-of-confidence/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [When God overcomes our difficulties for us, we have the assurance that we are engaged in His work and not our own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-muller/when-god-overcomes-our-difficulties-for-us-we-have-the-assurance-that/) [George Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-muller/) > [“A variety of difficulties will come your way. But at the time of difficulty, you will be able to find a ready made medicine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/a-variety-of-difficulties-will-come-your-way-but-at-the-time-of/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) ## More by Alexandre Dumas > [“What is the sense in recriminations about things over which the will of God itself is powerless? God can change the future, He cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/what-is-the-sense-in-recriminations-about-things-over-which-the-will/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [There is no friendship that cares about an overheard secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/there-is-no-friendship-that-cares-about-an-overheard-secret/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [Darling, replied Valentine, has not the count just told us that all human wisdom was contained in these two words,- "Wait and hope"?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/darling-replied-valentine-has-not-the-count-just-told-us-that-all/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“when you have the honour to find yourself in the company of ordinary men and the good fortune to be out of politics for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/when-you-have-the-honour-to-find-yourself-in-the-company-of-ordinary/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“He rose in his turn, and seizing handfuls of confetti and sweetmeats, with which the carriage was filled, cast them with all the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/he-rose-in-his-turn-and-seizing-handfuls-of-confetti-and-sweetmeats/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“A man is always in a hurry to be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/a-man-is-always-in-a-hurry-to-be-happy/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Speak on, madame, speak on, Queen," said Buckingham; "the sweetness of your voice covers the harshness of your words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/speak-on-madame-speak-on-queen-said-buckingham-the-sweetness-of-your/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“On the 24th of February, 1810, the look-out at Notre-Dame de la Garde signalled the three-master, the Pharaon from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/on-the-24th-of-february-1810-the-look-out-at-notre-dame-de-la-garde/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“what despair to see a woman one loves longing for those thousand nothings from which women compose their happiness, and to be unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/what-despair-to-see-a-woman-one-loves-longing-for-those-thousand/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Here is a man who was resigned to his fate, who was walking to the scaffold and about to die like a coward, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/here-is-a-man-who-was-resigned-to-his-fate-who-was-walking-to-the/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [I am not proud, but I am happy; and happiness blinds, I think, more than pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/i-am-not-proud-but-i-am-happy-and-happiness-blinds-i-think-more-than/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [For there are two distinct sorts of ideas: Those that proceed from the head and those that emanate from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/for-there-are-two-distinct-sorts-of-ideas-those-that-proceed-from-the/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Besides, what is required of a young man in Paris? To speak its language tolerably, to make a good appearance, to be a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/besides-what-is-required-of-a-young-man-in-paris-to-speak-its/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Carry your sorrow inside you as the cloud conceals ruin and death like a deadly secret that is understood only when the storm breaks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/carry-your-sorrow-inside-you-as-the-cloud-conceals-ruin-and-death/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“What fragile and unknown threads the destinies of nations and the lives of men are suspended.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/what-fragile-and-unknown-threads-the-destinies-of-nations-and-the/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) [Explore all 473 Alexandre Dumas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) [James Buckham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckham-kennedy/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) [S.E. SEVER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-sever/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexandre Dumas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-difficulty/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-difficulty/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/alexandre-dumas-436_adversity_the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-di_3166932.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/alexandre-dumas-436_adversity_the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-di_3166932.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/05d/alexandre-dumas-436_adversity_the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-di_3166932.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.” — Alexandre Dumas", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexandre Dumas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The merit of all things lies...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-difficulty/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/the-merit-of-all-things-lies-in-their-difficulty/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```