--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The harder we press on a violin string…" description: "\"“The harder we press on a violin string, the less we can feel it. The louder we play, the less we hear.… If I “try” to play, I fail; if I race, I trip...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/arianna-huffington-1005_strength_the-harder-we-press-on-a-violin-string-t_2873990.png" --- # The harder we press on a violin string, the less we can… ![“The harder we press on a violin string, the less we can feel it. The louder we play, the less we hear.… If I “try” to play, I fail; if I race, I trip. The only road to strength is vulnerability. —STEPHEN NACHMANOVITCH” quote by Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/arianna-huffington-1005_strength_the-harder-we-press-on-a-violin-string-t_2873990.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/arianna-huffington-1005_strength_the-harder-we-press-on-a-violin-string-t_2873990.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8cf/arianna-huffington-1005_strength_the-harder-we-press-on-a-violin-string-t_2873990.png) > ““The harder we press on a violin string, the less we can feel it. The louder we play, the less we hear.… If I “try” to play, I fail; if I race, I trip. The only road to strength is vulnerability. —STEPHEN NACHMANOVITCH”” [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pressing harder on a violin (or life) dulls feeling; vulnerability is the true path to strength. **In simple terms:** Forceful effort reduces perception; vulnerability builds strength. Key Takeaway Cultivate vulnerability to achieve genuine resilience. Themes self‑help psychology creativity Mood empowering thought‑provoking Type motivational psychological When to use this quote - leadership training - personal coaching - creative arts Key Concepts vulnerability strength mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How does vulnerability enhance performance? - What practices foster safe vulnerability? A Different Perspective Some may view vulnerability as weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Violin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violin/) ## Related quotes > [A violin neck is much smaller than the guitar's, so it's much easier to play wide intervals on one violin string. 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Any time I stiffen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-nachmanovitch/if-i-try-to-play-i-fail-if-i-force-the-play-i-crush-it-if-i-race-i/) [Stephen Nachmanovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-nachmanovitch/) ## More by Arianna Huffington > [Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it the more natural it becomes to not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/fearlessness-is-like-a-muscle-i-know-from-my-own-life-that-the-more-i/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [“To live the lives we truly want and deserve, and not just the lives we settle for, we need a Third Metric, a third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/to-live-the-lives-we-truly-want-and-deserve-and-not-just-the-lives-we/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [The next generation will remake the world in a way that allows us to live in a more sustainable way, both personally and globally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-next-generation-will-remake-the-world-in-a-way-that-allows-us-to/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [The Huffington Post Investigative Fund's goal is to produce a broad range of investigative journalism created by both staff reporters and freelance writers, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-huffington-post-investigative-fund-s-goal-is-to-produce-a-broad/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) > [A lot of effort and money are - rightly - expended keeping the president physically safe. 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I meditate for fifteen minutes every day and do yoga several times a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/i-always-try-to-practice-what-i-preach-i-meditate-for-fifteen-minutes/) [Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) [Explore all 310 Arianna Huffington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/) ## More Strength quotes > [“It is not the force of the wind, but the depth of the roots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/it-is-not-the-force-of-the-wind-but-the-depth-of-the-roots/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [Give me strength to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/give-me-strength-to-walk-the-soft-earth-a-relative-to-all-that-is/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [“Serve in the grace of strength within thy soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/serve-in-the-grace-of-strength-within-thy-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Strong brows is what I have, and I embrace them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-connelly/strong-brows-is-what-i-have-and-i-embrace-them/) [Jennifer Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-connelly/) > [Suppressed grief suffocates, it rages within the breast, and is forced to multiply its strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/suppressed-grief-suffocates-it-rages-within-the-breast-and-is-forced/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Failure actually makes you strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-sharma/failure-actually-makes-you-strong/) [Neha Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-sharma/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [If your goal is to look different, you'll see results faster with strength training than with cardio alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-kaiser/if-your-goal-is-to-look-different-you-ll-see-results-faster-with/) [Anna Kaiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-kaiser/) > [“You have a right to be sad, and a duty to move on. Only wins who wipes the tears, gather strength and move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-branco/you-have-a-right-to-be-sad-and-a-duty-to-move-on-only-wins-who-wipes/) [Augusto Branco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-branco/) > [“I met Suffering on a quiet road, just as the sun was setting behind me. 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