--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have always believed that hope is that…" description: "\"I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/barack-obama-17_blind-optimism_i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that_3177117.jpg" --- # I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing… ![“I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting." (Victory Speech, Nov. 7, 2012)” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/barack-obama-17_blind-optimism_i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that_3177117.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/barack-obama-17_blind-optimism_i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that_3177117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/barack-obama-17_blind-optimism_i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that_3177117.jpg) > “I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting." (Victory Speech, Nov. 7, 2012)” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hope is an inner resilience that persists despite contrary evidence, urging us to keep striving for a better future. **In simple terms:** Hope drives perseverance despite doubt. Key Takeaway Cultivate courage and keep pursuing goals. Themes hope resilience perseverance optimism Mood inspired determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal setbacks - career challenges - social movements - health recovery Key Concepts psychology motivation belief Questions to Reflect On - What evidence fuels your hope? - How do you balance hope with realistic planning? A Different Perspective Hope can become complacent if not paired with actionable plans. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believed Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed-hope-5806650/) [Blind optimism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind-optimism/) [Contrary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contrary/) [Despite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despite/) [Evidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evidence/) [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hope Stubborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope-stubborn-627306/) [Insists Despite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insists-despite-5806651/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Reaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaching/) [Shirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shirk/) [Something better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something-better/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Stubborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stubborn/) [Stubborn Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stubborn-thing-4040615/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) ## Related quotes > [“I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that-stubborn-thing-inside-us/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-not-talking-about-blind-optimism-the-kind-of-hope-that-just/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“I've never been more hopeful about our future. I have never been more hopeful about America. And I ask you to sustain that hope.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ve-never-been-more-hopeful-about-our-future-i-have-never-been-more/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Hope is the bedrock of this nation. The belief that our destiny will not be written for us, but by us, by all those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/hope-is-the-bedrock-of-this-nation-the-belief-that-our-destiny-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Hope is not blind optimism. It's not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/hope-is-not-blind-optimism-it-s-not-ignoring-the-enormity-of-the-task/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Poverty is a stubborn thing: you seldom escape it with one bound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/poverty-is-a-stubborn-thing-you-seldom-escape-it-with-one-bound/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [You can hate a person with your whole body, but love is a stubborn thing, it clings on in your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-maxted/you-can-hate-a-person-with-your-whole-body-but-love-is-a-stubborn/) [Anna Maxted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-maxted/) > [and a fact is the most stubborn thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bulgakov/and-a-fact-is-the-most-stubborn-thing-in-the-world/) [Mikhail Bulgakov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bulgakov/) > [If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet... \[at least for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/if-you-keep-on-saying-things-are-going-to-be-bad-you-have-a-good/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [Being an England supporter is like being the over-optimistic parents of the fat kid on sports day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/being-an-england-supporter-is-like-being-the-over-optimistic-parents/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [I’ve questioned everything about myself, every step of the way. You have to have the same amount of fear and self-doubt as you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-ve-questioned-everything-about-myself-every-step-of-the-way-you/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [I’m not interested in blind optimism, but I’m very interested in optimism that is hard-won, that takes on darkness and then says, ‘This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/i-m-not-interested-in-blind-optimism-but-i-m-very-interested-in/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [“Nesse’s research focuses on the evolutionary origins of depression. Why does depression exist at all? If it’s stayed in our gene pool for so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/nesse-s-research-focuses-on-the-evolutionary-origins-of-depression/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [I like to keep working and keep changing. It's a hopeful, optimistic thing to think and sit about what you could do next. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ervin-beam/i-like-to-keep-working-and-keep-changing-it-s-a-hopeful-optimistic/) [Samuel Ervin Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ervin-beam/) > [I'm only trying to present as honest a portrayal of the grimness of human ambition as I can. I'd hope it's rather uplifting, actually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ware/i-m-only-trying-to-present-as-honest-a-portrayal-of-the-grimness-of/) [Chris Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ware/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Blind optimism quotes > [I'm only trying to present as honest a portrayal of the grimness of human ambition as I can. I'd hope it's rather uplifting, actually,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-ware/i-m-only-trying-to-present-as-honest-a-portrayal-of-the-grimness-of/) [Chris Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-ware/) > [“I've never been more hopeful about our future. I have never been more hopeful about America. And I ask you to sustain that hope.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-ve-never-been-more-hopeful-about-our-future-i-have-never-been-more/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I like to keep working and keep changing. It's a hopeful, optimistic thing to think and sit about what you could do next. Maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ervin-beam/i-like-to-keep-working-and-keep-changing-it-s-a-hopeful-optimistic/) [Samuel Ervin Beam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ervin-beam/) > [“Nesse’s research focuses on the evolutionary origins of depression. Why does depression exist at all? If it’s stayed in our gene pool for so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-mcgonigal/nesse-s-research-focuses-on-the-evolutionary-origins-of-depression/) [Jane McGonigal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-mcgonigal/) > [I’m not interested in blind optimism, but I’m very interested in optimism that is hard-won, that takes on darkness and then says, ‘This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colum-mccann/i-m-not-interested-in-blind-optimism-but-i-m-very-interested-in/) [Colum McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colum-mccann/) > [I'm not talking about blind optimism, the kind of hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-not-talking-about-blind-optimism-the-kind-of-hope-that-just/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I’ve questioned everything about myself, every step of the way. You have to have the same amount of fear and self-doubt as you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-ve-questioned-everything-about-myself-every-step-of-the-way-you/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Being an England supporter is like being the over-optimistic parents of the fat kid on sports day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bishop/being-an-england-supporter-is-like-being-the-over-optimistic-parents/) [John Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bishop/) > [If you keep on saying things are going to be bad, you have a good chance of being a prophet... \[at least for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/if-you-keep-on-saying-things-are-going-to-be-bad-you-have-a-good/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [One misconception is that entrepreneurs love risk. Actually, we all want things to go as we expect. What you need is a blind optimism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/one-misconception-is-that-entrepreneurs-love-risk-actually-we-all/) [Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/) > [Hope is not blind optimism. It's not ignoring the enormity of the task ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/hope-is-not-blind-optimism-it-s-not-ignoring-the-enormity-of-the-task/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Hope, for the Christian, is not wishful thinking or mere blind optimism. It is a mode of knowing, a mode within which new things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/hope-for-the-christian-is-not-wishful-thinking-or-mere-blind-optimism/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) > [“But all the fighting in the world will not help us if we do not also hope. What i'm trying to cultivate is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/but-all-the-fighting-in-the-world-will-not-help-us-if-we-do-not-also/) [Junot Díaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“Gdmng, Sunshine! This morning, I offer a gentle reminder: even when everything sucks, pretend you’re a wildflower & push through anyway. Isn’t it amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-goyal/gdmng-sunshine-this-morning-i-offer-a-gentle-reminder-even-when/) [Rajesh Goyal, राजेश गोयल](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-goyal/) > [“I may not be good at climbing, may lack the upper-body and leg strength required to make me a good cyclist or an ironman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-smith/i-may-not-be-good-at-climbing-may-lack-the-upper-body-and-leg/) [Phoebe Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-smith/) [Browse all 21 Blind optimism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind-optimism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keep reaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.\" (Victory Speech, Nov. 7, 2012)", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barack Obama" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that-stubborn-thing-inside-us-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blind optimism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that-stubborn-thing-inside-us-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/barack-obama-17_blind-optimism_i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that_3177117.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/barack-obama-17_blind-optimism_i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that_3177117.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/595/barack-obama-17_blind-optimism_i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that_3177117.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to…” — Barack Obama", "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": "Barack Obama", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I have always believed that hope...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that-stubborn-thing-inside-us-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-have-always-believed-that-hope-is-that-stubborn-thing-inside-us-2/#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 } } ] } ```