--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Exercise, to qualify at all, must be…" description: "\"Exercise, to qualify at all, must be lonely, painfu, humorless, and boring.\" — Barbara Holland" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/barbara-holland-10950_boring_exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonel_1147194.jpg" --- # Exercise, to qualify at all, must be lonely, painfu… ![“Exercise, to qualify at all, must be lonely, painfu, humorless, and boring.” quote by Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/barbara-holland-10950_boring_exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonel_1147194.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/barbara-holland-10950_boring_exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonel_1147194.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/barbara-holland-10950_boring_exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonel_1147194.jpg) > “Exercise, to qualify at all, must be lonely, painfu, humorless, and boring.” [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True exercise often feels solitary, painful, humorless, and boring, yet it is essential. **In simple terms:** Exercise can be lonely and hard but necessary. Key Takeaway Accept the discomfort for health gains. Themes discipline health perseverance Mood pragmatic realistic Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - starting a new workout - rehabilitation - training for events Key Concepts physiology motivation habit formation Questions to Reflect On - How can you make solitary training more enjoyable? - What small changes can reduce the pain of exercise? A Different Perspective Monotony can cause dropout; motivation may wane. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Lonely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lonely/) ## Related quotes > [It is only the dogmatic, and the humorless, that don't succumb to my charm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vermin-supreme/it-is-only-the-dogmatic-and-the-humorless-that-don-t-succumb-to-my/) [Vermin Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vermin-supreme/) > [My logisticians are a humorless lot ... they know if my campaign fails, they are the first ones I will slay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/my-logisticians-are-a-humorless-lot-they-know-if-my-campaign-fails/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [Folks are astounded that 'judge' isn't a synonym for 'humorless Luddite.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-willett/folks-are-astounded-that-judge-isn-t-a-synonym-for-humorless-luddite/) [Don Willett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-willett/) > [The people who must never have power are the humorless. To impossible certainties of rectitude they ally tedium and uniformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-people-who-must-never-have-power-are-the-humorless-to-impossible/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“The humorless puzzle of inequality and hate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-humorless-puzzle-of-inequality-and-hate/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“This guy was a humorless bag of nothing but.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-ramirez/this-guy-was-a-humorless-bag-of-nothing-but/) [Steven Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-ramirez/) > [Defining and analyzing humor is a pastime of humorless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/defining-and-analyzing-humor-is-a-pastime-of-humorless-people/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [I find that I'm extremely unattracted to anything that's humorless. There is writing that is entirely serious, and it doesn't ring true to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-king/i-find-that-i-m-extremely-unattracted-to-anything-that-s-humorless/) [Owen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-king/) > [I find it strange that - at least in my take on it - the people who are the most alarmed about the dire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-find-it-strange-that-at-least-in-my-take-on-it-the-people-who-are/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [“Kaz's laugh was low and humorless. "Who'd deny a poor cripple his cane?" "If the cripple is you, then any man with sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/kaz-s-laugh-was-low-and-humorless-who-d-deny-a-poor-cripple-his-cane/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“No one really gives a ‘who who’ over who says who or whom, except for a few humorless ‘whomorists’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-thirteen/no-one-really-gives-a-who-who-over-who-says-who-or-whom-except-for-a/) [Terence Thirteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-thirteen/) > [The majority of philosophers are totally humorless. That's part of their trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-williams/the-majority-of-philosophers-are-totally-humorless-that-s-part-of/) [Bernard Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-williams/) > [“There seems to be no lengths to which humorless people will not go to analyze humor. It seems to worry them." Robert Benchley (1889-1945)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/there-seems-to-be-no-lengths-to-which-humorless-people-will-not-go-to/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [Fight any instinct to be humorless, for humorlessness is the worst of all absurdities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/fight-any-instinct-to-be-humorless-for-humorlessness-is-the-worst-of/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [“A sense of humor is a serious business; and it isn't funny, not having one. Watch the humorless closely: the cocked and furtive way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/a-sense-of-humor-is-a-serious-business-and-it-isn-t-funny-not-having/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) ## More by Barbara Holland > [Success in war was the only success that counted; failure was a disgrace to be wiped out only by starting another war and winning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/success-in-war-was-the-only-success-that-counted-failure-was-a/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [Almost any dog thinks almost any human is the Great Spirit, the Primal Creator, and the Universal Force Behind the Sun and Tides. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/almost-any-dog-thinks-almost-any-human-is-the-great-spirit-the-primal/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [In the taverns all was amiable and easy, but the coffeehouses were cauldrons of edgy malcontents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/in-the-taverns-all-was-amiable-and-easy-but-the-coffeehouses-were/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [A catless writer is almost inconceivable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/a-catless-writer-is-almost-inconceivable/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [We're a shifty, sliding population. ... What we refer to as 'home' may be a place we haven't seen in years; a place where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/we-re-a-shifty-sliding-population-what-we-refer-to-as-home-may-be-a/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [Single life should be experimental in nature and open to accidents. Some accidents are happy ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/single-life-should-be-experimental-in-nature-and-open-to-accidents/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [Subtly, in the little ways, joy has been leaking out of our lives. The small pleasures of the ordinary day seem almost contemptible, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/subtly-in-the-little-ways-joy-has-been-leaking-out-of-our-lives-the/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [War was ... the chief or maybe the only source of patriotism, and many a politician, from prehistory up to this morning, unified a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/war-was-the-chief-or-maybe-the-only-source-of-patriotism-and-many-a/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [Smiting enemies has always been so admired that, unlike medicine or archaeology, it entitled its successful practitioners to become kings, emperors, and presidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/smiting-enemies-has-always-been-so-admired-that-unlike-medicine-or/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [The thing to remember is that children are temporary. As soon as they develop a sense of humor and get to be good company,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/the-thing-to-remember-is-that-children-are-temporary-as-soon-as-they/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [I was getting sick and tired of being lectured by dear friends with their little bottles of water and their regular visits to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/i-was-getting-sick-and-tired-of-being-lectured-by-dear-friends-with/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [If we have a decent sort of cat to begin with, and have always treated it courteously, and aren't cursed with meddling, bullying natures,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/if-we-have-a-decent-sort-of-cat-to-begin-with-and-have-always-treated/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that a moderate beer drinker - whatever that means - swallows 11 percent of his dietary protein…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/the-american-journal-of-clinical-nutrition-claims-that-a-moderate/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [“Drink, the social glue of the human race. Probably in the beginning we could explain ourselves to our close family members with grunts, muttered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/drink-the-social-glue-of-the-human-race-probably-in-the-beginning-we/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [Perhaps it's a good time to reconsider pleasure at its roots. Changing out of wet shoes and socks, for instance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/perhaps-it-s-a-good-time-to-reconsider-pleasure-at-its-roots-changing/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) [Explore all 62 Barbara Holland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) ## More Boring quotes > [Normal is so Boring!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/normal-is-so-boring/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want easy success. It's boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sudeep/i-don-t-want-easy-success-it-s-boring/) [Sudeep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sudeep/) > [I'd be very controversial if I said why, and I don't do controversial anymore. That's too passé. So last year. Being controversial is boring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/i-d-be-very-controversial-if-i-said-why-and-i-don-t-do-controversial/) M.I.A > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Life is what you make it¦If one refuses to use ones imagination..it will be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-what-you-make-it-if-one-refuses-to-use-ones-imagination-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm bored of being bored because being bored is very boring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sachithra/i-m-bored-of-being-bored-because-being-bored-is-very-boring/) [Sachithra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sachithra/) > [The films I find boring are the ones that have no space for the audience's misconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-decker/the-films-i-find-boring-are-the-ones-that-have-no-space-for-the/) [Josephine Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-decker/) > [It is an interesting law of romance that a truly strong woman will choose a strong man who disagrees with her over a weak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-is-an-interesting-law-of-romance-that-a-truly-strong-woman-will/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I've always felt that dark lyrics with dark music is pretty useless. Maybe that's a strong statement - not useless, but for me, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-ve-always-felt-that-dark-lyrics-with-dark-music-is-pretty-useless/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [Something is wrong if workers do not look around each day, find things that are tedious or boring, and then rewrite the procedures. Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taiichi-ohno/something-is-wrong-if-workers-do-not-look-around-each-day-find-things/) [Taiichi Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taiichi-ohno/) > [Plumbing is usually boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/plumbing-is-usually-boring/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cage/if-something-is-boring-after-two-minutes-try-it-for-four-if-still/) [John Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cage/) > [Acting is an escape from the boring person that I am in real life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-shawn/acting-is-an-escape-from-the-boring-person-that-i-am-in-real-life/) [Wallace Shawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-shawn/) Browse all 3,123 Boring quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Exercise, to qualify at all, must be lonely, painfu, humorless, and boring.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barbara Holland" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonely-painfu-humorless-and-boring/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boring" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonely-painfu-humorless-and-boring/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/barbara-holland-10950_boring_exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonel_1147194.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/barbara-holland-10950_boring_exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonel_1147194.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ce/barbara-holland-10950_boring_exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonel_1147194.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Exercise, to qualify at all, must be lonely, painfu, humorless, and boring.” — Barbara Holland", "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": "Barbara Holland", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Exercise, to qualify at all, must...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonely-painfu-humorless-and-boring/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/exercise-to-qualify-at-all-must-be-lonely-painfu-humorless-and-boring/#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 } } ] } ```