Business Quote by B. C. Forbes
![“Call the roll in your memory of conspicuously successful [business] giants and, if you know anything about their careers, you will be struck by the fact that almost every one of them encountered inordinate difficulties sufficient to crush all but the gamest of spirits. Edison went hungry many…” quote by B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b8e/b-c-forbes-2124_business_call-the-roll-in-your-memory-of-conspicu_1588698.jpg)
“Call the roll in your memory of conspicuously successful [business] giants and, if you know anything about their careers, you will be struck by the fact that almost every one of them encountered inordinate difficulties sufficient to crush all but the gamest of spirits. Edison went hungry many times before he became famous.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Forbes Magazine, 19th Century Business Profiles
Success often follows severe hardship; perseverance distinguishes the truly resilient.
In simple terms: Hardship builds resilience.
Key Takeaway
Embrace challenges as growth opportunities.
Themes
perseverance
resilience
business
hardship
determination
Mood
determined
reflective
Type
motivational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- startup founding
- career setbacks
- financial crises
- personal adversity
Key Concepts
Stoicism
growth mindset
entrepreneurship
Questions to Reflect On
- What obstacles have you faced that shaped your path?
- How can you turn setbacks into strengths?
A Different Perspective
Not every difficulty leads to success; external factors matter.
![“If he [Thomas Edison] had a needle to find in a haystack, he would not stop to reason where it was most likely to be, but would proceed at once with the feverish diligence of a bee, to examine straw after straw until he found the object of his search. ... [J]ust a little theory and calculation…” quote by Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a00/nikola-tesla-1383_bees_if-he-thomas-edison-had-a-needle-to-find_97217.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)