--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For me, the greatest obstacles are never…" description: "\"For me, the greatest obstacles are never on the ice itself. That's the area I excel in. That's where my passion is. I think we all strive to push ourse..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/ann-bancroft-28743_adversity_for-me-the-greatest-obstacles-are-never_69274.jpg" --- # For me, the greatest obstacles are never on the ice… ![“For me, the greatest obstacles are never on the ice itself. That's the area I excel in. That's where my passion is. I think we all strive to push ourselves, to overcome our struggles. And when we do, we get to know ourselves better.” quote by Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/ann-bancroft-28743_adversity_for-me-the-greatest-obstacles-are-never_69274.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/ann-bancroft-28743_adversity_for-me-the-greatest-obstacles-are-never_69274.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4df/ann-bancroft-28743_adversity_for-me-the-greatest-obstacles-are-never_69274.jpg) > “For me, the greatest obstacles are never on the ice itself. That's the area I excel in. That's where my passion is. I think we all strive to push ourselves, to overcome our struggles. And when we do, we get to know ourselves better.” [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker emphasizes that personal challenges arise from internal limits rather than external conditions, and confronting them leads to self‑discovery. **In simple terms:** Internal obstacles shape growth. Key Takeaway Facing inner limits reveals self. Themes self‑awareness growth mindset resilience personal development motivation Mood determined reflective Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - athletic training - career advancement - creative projects - relationship building Key Concepts obstacle identification passion alignment Practical Applications - coaching sessions - leadership workshops Questions to Reflect On - What inner barriers hold you back? - How does overcoming them change your self‑view? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Area](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/area/) [Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better/) [Excel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excel/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest/) [Greatest obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-obstacles/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice/) [Ice Area](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice-area-914255/) [Itself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/itself/) [Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) [Obstacles Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles-ice-914253/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Ourselves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ourselves/) [Overcome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcome/) [Overcome Struggles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcome-struggles-914254/) [Passion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passion/) [Push](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/push/) [Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive/) [Struggles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggles/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/) ## Related quotes > [At times we feel powerless to overcome the struggles in our life and search for power outside, the same power that we've within and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/at-times-we-feel-powerless-to-overcome-the-struggles-in-our-life-and/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [I think we all strive to push ourselves, to overcome our struggles. And when we do, we get to know ourselves better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-we-all-strive-to-push-ourselves-to-overcome-our-struggles-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It is a must to excel in the area God has called us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/it-is-a-must-to-excel-in-the-area-god-has-called-us/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [It's not what we don't know that prevents us from succeeding; it's what we know that just ain't so that is our greatest obstacle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-s-not-what-we-don-t-know-that-prevents-us-from-succeeding-it-s/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed to a star does not change his mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/obstacles-cannot-crush-me-every-obstacle-yields-to-stern-resolve-he/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [There is genius in persistence. It conquers all opposers. It gives confidence. It annihilates obstacles. Everybody believes in a determined man. People know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/there-is-genius-in-persistence-it-conquers-all-opposers-it-gives/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-management/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The greatest obstacle in the apostolate of the Church is the timidity or rather the cowardice of the faithful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-x/the-greatest-obstacle-in-the-apostolate-of-the-church-is-the-timidity/) [Pope Pius X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-x/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-hard-work/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [Every obstacle yields to stern resolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/every-obstacle-yields-to-stern-resolve/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Resenting promotion is one of the greatest obstacles to success. People who have issues with selling and promotion are usually broke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/resenting-promotion-is-one-of-the-greatest-obstacles-to-success/) [T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/) > [The greatest obstacle to love is fear. It has been the source of all defects in human behavior throughout the ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-mohammed-taha/the-greatest-obstacle-to-love-is-fear-it-has-been-the-source-of-all/) [Mahmoud Mohammed Taha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-mohammed-taha/) > [The greatest obstacle to discovering the truth is being convinced that you already know it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-brilliant/the-greatest-obstacle-to-discovering-the-truth-is-being-convinced/) [Ashleigh Brilliant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-brilliant/) > [The expectations you bring to meditation practice are often the greatest obstacles you will encounter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/the-expectations-you-bring-to-meditation-practice-are-often-the/) [Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/) > [War, and the preparation for war, are the two greatest obstacles to human progress, fostering a vicious cycle of arms buildups, violence and poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scar-arias/war-and-the-preparation-for-war-are-the-two-greatest-obstacles-to/) [Oscar Arias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scar-arias/) ## More by Ann Bancroft > [Growing up in a rural setting in Minnesota, I was raised with the outdoors and a sense of adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/growing-up-in-a-rural-setting-in-minnesota-i-was-raised-with-the/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [I give a tremendous amount of weight to the mental aspect of physical activity and what it does for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/i-give-a-tremendous-amount-of-weight-to-the-mental-aspect-of-physical/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [Everyone in my family is a risk taker in his or her own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/everyone-in-my-family-is-a-risk-taker-in-his-or-her-own-way/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [I wanted to be a teacher, but I was a lousy student, one of the slowest readers. It was a tremendous struggle. But I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/i-wanted-to-be-a-teacher-but-i-was-a-lousy-student-one-of-the-slowest/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [I love weights, but it's too far to get to the gym. So I make the farm my gym: I split wood and haul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/i-love-weights-but-it-s-too-far-to-get-to-the-gym-so-i-make-the-farm/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [I have an opportunity now with some of the projects I've done, i.e. the North Pole and the South Pole, to speak to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/i-have-an-opportunity-now-with-some-of-the-projects-i-ve-done-i-e-the/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [Film critics said I gave a voice to the fear we all have: that we'll reach a certain point in our lives, look around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/film-critics-said-i-gave-a-voice-to-the-fear-we-all-have-that-we-ll/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [I have a whole, you know, pocket full of dreams I want to achieve. I don't know in which order they're going to fall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/i-have-a-whole-you-know-pocket-full-of-dreams-i-want-to-achieve-i-don/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [My brother Bill, who is a year older, is a climber, and when I was in the seventh grade, he taught me how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/my-brother-bill-who-is-a-year-older-is-a-climber-and-when-i-was-in/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [Water links us all as human beings. Everyone needs water, and we all have challenges about it, no matter where we live. Yet even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/water-links-us-all-as-human-beings-everyone-needs-water-and-we-all/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [My first expedition was at about the age of eight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/my-first-expedition-was-at-about-the-age-of-eight/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [The voices of women need to be heard. The volume needs to be turned up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/the-voices-of-women-need-to-be-heard-the-volume-needs-to-be-turned-up/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [Running is my bedrock activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/running-is-my-bedrock-activity/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [This journey is not over. Our education initiatives have so much momentum, and we're committed to sharing even more stories from the Arctic when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/this-journey-is-not-over-our-education-initiatives-have-so-much/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) > [I love that place where you get in running where you're just never out of breath and you just feel like you could go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-bancroft/i-love-that-place-where-you-get-in-running-where-you-re-just-never/) [Ann Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) [Explore all 19 Ann Bancroft quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-bancroft/) ## 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": "For me, the greatest obstacles are never on the ice itself. That's the area I excel in. That's where my passion is. I think we all strive to push ourselves, to overcome our struggles. 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