--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When times get tough, we don't give up…" description: "\"When times get tough, we don't give up. We get up.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/722/barack-obama-17_don-t-give-up_when-times-get-tough-we-don-t-give-up-we_2726183.jpg" --- # When times get tough, we don't give up. We get up. ![“When times get tough, we don't give up. We get up.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/722/barack-obama-17_don-t-give-up_when-times-get-tough-we-don-t-give-up-we_2726183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/722/barack-obama-17_don-t-give-up_when-times-get-tough-we-don-t-give-up-we_2726183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/722/barack-obama-17_don-t-give-up_when-times-get-tough-we-don-t-give-up-we_2726183.jpg) > “When times get tough, we don't give up. We get up.” [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. Resilience means rising after setbacks, not surrendering. **In simple terms:** When tough, keep moving forward. Key Takeaway Persist despite difficulty. Themes resilience determination leadership Mood inspirational hopeful Type political motivational When to use this quote - career setbacks - personal loss - health challenges Key Concepts grit growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - What fuels your perseverance? - When do you need to pause? A Different Perspective Persistence alone may not change circumstances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don-t-give-up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-give-up/) [Get up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-up/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-up/) [Strength](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strength/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times/) [Times Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times-tough/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) [Tough Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-don-2441644/) ## Related quotes > [Get tough: don't work under pressure; work over pressure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/get-tough-don-t-work-under-pressure-work-over-pressure/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [Oftentimes, misunderstandings and antagonism surfaces most strongly when economic times are tough. And that's not surprising. If everybody is working and feeling good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/oftentimes-misunderstandings-and-antagonism-surfaces-most-strongly/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Anyone who has ever made a resolution discovers that the strength of that determination fades in time. The moment you feel that is when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/anyone-who-has-ever-made-a-resolution-discovers-that-the-strength-of-2/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) > [“As long as you want the belt, don’t run away from the fight. Do what it takes to win the battles you face.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/as-long-as-you-want-the-belt-don-t-run-away-from-the-fight-do-what-it/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Gracie: "Don't give up, Blanche. Women don't do that. Look at Betsy Ross, Martha Washington-they didn't give up. Look at Nina Jones." Blanche Morton:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-allen/gracie-don-t-give-up-blanche-women-don-t-do-that-look-at-betsy-ross/) [Gracie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-allen/) > [No matter how much you've sinned, no matter how much you've stumbled, no matter how much you fall, no matter how far you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/no-matter-how-much-you-ve-sinned-no-matter-how-much-you-ve-stumbled/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [I would tell most young people that in life you can go through many difficulties, but if you know what you want to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kamkwamba/i-would-tell-most-young-people-that-in-life-you-can-go-through-many/) [William Kamkwamba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kamkwamba/) > [I don't give up. I'm a plodder. People come and go, but I stay the course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-don-t-give-up-i-m-a-plodder-people-come-and-go-but-i-stay-the-course/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Happy Valentines Day to those who have found love, in whatever shape or form, and to those who are still hunting, don’t give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/happy-valentines-day-to-those-who-have-found-love-in-whatever-shape/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Stick to the fight whenyoure hardest hit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-guest/stick-to-the-fight-whenyoure-hardest-hit/) [Edgar Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-guest/) > [... Change doesn't happen overnight-it's molded by people who don't give up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/change-doesn-t-happen-overnight-it-s-molded-by-people-who-don-t-give/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [It's hard to beat somebody when they don't give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/it-s-hard-to-beat-somebody-when-they-don-t-give-up/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [Don't give up on me now. I'm sorry. I guess that's an odd thing to say. Because isn't that what I'm doing? Giving up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/don-t-give-up-on-me-now-i-m-sorry-i-guess-that-s-an-odd-thing-to-say/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [All the women in Pakistan working for change, don't give up on your dreams, this is for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/all-the-women-in-pakistan-working-for-change-don-t-give-up-on-your/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) ## 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 Don-t-give-up quotes > [“I've written about persistence and perseverance and yet for those of us with patchwork lives (projects, earnings, caretaking, home-tending, playing, friending, loving, celebrating, hurting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shellen-lubin/i-ve-written-about-persistence-and-perseverance-and-yet-for-those-of/) [Shellen Lubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shellen-lubin/) > [“Quitters don’t gain what they have started working on; waiters don’t start what they could have gained. What is common there is failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/quitters-don-t-gain-what-they-have-started-working-on-waiters-don-t/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [All the women in Pakistan working for change, don't give up on your dreams, this is for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/all-the-women-in-pakistan-working-for-change-don-t-give-up-on-your/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [Don't give up on me now. I'm sorry. I guess that's an odd thing to say. Because isn't that what I'm doing? Giving up?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/don-t-give-up-on-me-now-i-m-sorry-i-guess-that-s-an-odd-thing-to-say/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [“Don't give up too soon. If you persevere you will succeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/don-t-give-up-too-soon-if-you-persevere-you-will-succeed/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [It's hard to beat somebody when they don't give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babe-ruth/it-s-hard-to-beat-somebody-when-they-don-t-give-up/) [Babe Ruth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babe-ruth/) > [“Don't resist the growing pains, push through them. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/don-t-resist-the-growing-pains-push-through-them/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [... Change doesn't happen overnight-it's molded by people who don't give up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-e-pearson/change-doesn-t-happen-overnight-it-s-molded-by-people-who-don-t-give/) [Mary E. Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-e-pearson/) > [Stick to the fight whenyoure hardest hit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-guest/stick-to-the-fight-whenyoure-hardest-hit/) [Edgar Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-guest/) > [Happy Valentines Day to those who have found love, in whatever shape or form, and to those who are still hunting, don’t give up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/happy-valentines-day-to-those-who-have-found-love-in-whatever-shape/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [There will be time in life when there will be problems in life everything will seem impossible. But don't give up! Keep fighting. Determination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/there-will-be-time-in-life-when-there-will-be-problems-in-life/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“You can choose when and when not to be stopped... Choose to be stopped after you die... when your work is done and done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/you-can-choose-when-and-when-not-to-be-stopped-choose-to-be-stopped/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“From this point forward, you don’t even know how to quit in life.” ~ Aaron Lauritsen, ‘100 Days Drive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-lauritsen/from-this-point-forward-you-don-t-even-know-how-to-quit-in-life-aaron/) [Aaron Lauritsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-lauritsen/) > [I don't give up. I'm a plodder. People come and go, but I stay the course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-costner/i-don-t-give-up-i-m-a-plodder-people-come-and-go-but-i-stay-the-course/) [Kevin Costner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-costner/) [Browse all 481 Don-t-give-up quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-give-up/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When times get tough, we don't give up. 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