--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She'd stood by that creed. No softness…" description: "\"She'd stood by that creed. No softness, because the world wasn't soft; lots of laughter, because if you were in on the joke, the joke couldn't be on yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/connie-brockway-8905_creeds_she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-be_406400.jpg" --- # She'd stood by that creed. No softness, because the world… ![“She'd stood by that creed. No softness, because the world wasn't soft; lots of laughter, because if you were in on the joke, the joke couldn't be on you; And no wanting what you couldn't take, because the world never gave. Or so she'd thought.” quote by Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/connie-brockway-8905_creeds_she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-be_406400.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/connie-brockway-8905_creeds_she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-be_406400.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/connie-brockway-8905_creeds_she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-be_406400.jpg) > “She'd stood by that creed. No softness, because the world wasn't soft; lots of laughter, because if you were in on the joke, the joke couldn't be on you; And no wanting what you couldn't take, because the world never gave. Or so she'd thought.” [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She adhered to a hard‑edged philosophy: stay tough, laugh with insiders, and avoid desires beyond one's reach because the world offers little. **In simple terms:** Live tough, laugh with insiders, limit desires. Key Takeaway Embrace resilience, humor, realistic expectations. Themes resilience humor realism self‑reliance Mood determined wry reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal hardship - team bonding - goal setting - risk assessment Key Concepts Stoicism existentialism social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Do you balance toughness with compassion? - How do you decide which desires are attainable? A Different Perspective Hardness may alienate others and limit empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“This was another fossil of a joke. I couldn't remember where it'd come from, I had a horrible feeling it might have been me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/this-was-another-fossil-of-a-joke-i-couldn-t-remember-where-it-d-come/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [I knew I wasn't soft. I knew I could play on this level and I knew that being in the paint was just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamarcus-aldridge/i-knew-i-wasn-t-soft-i-knew-i-could-play-on-this-level-and-i-knew/) [LaMarcus Aldridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamarcus-aldridge/) > [“That was what men wanted, wasn’t it? Soft helpless women that they needed to protect?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/that-was-what-men-wanted-wasn-t-it-soft-helpless-women-that-they/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“Maybe the world wasn't as good as it should be. There was cruelty in it, and suffering. And life was short--far shorter than was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugie-foster/maybe-the-world-wasn-t-as-good-as-it-should-be-there-was-cruelty-in/) Eugie Foster > [When I won Miss World, I wasn't even 18, and I only remember, like, I thought of it as a day in the races…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/when-i-won-miss-world-i-wasn-t-even-18-and-i-only-remember-like-i/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [“The world wasn't perfect. Life wasn't perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-kent/the-world-wasn-t-perfect-life-wasn-t-perfect/) [Alison Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-kent/) > [I like to think the world wasn't ready for me, but maybe the truth is that I wasn't ready for the world. I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/i-like-to-think-the-world-wasn-t-ready-for-me-but-maybe-the-truth-is/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“the world wasn't made for us, we were made for the world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-world-wasn-t-made-for-us-we-were-made-for-the-world/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [that while the world wasn't built for humans, we were built for the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/that-while-the-world-wasn-t-built-for-humans-we-were-built-for-the/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The world wasn't a more tolerant place when I was a young man. Rather, they simply sidestepped all the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/the-world-wasn-t-a-more-tolerant-place-when-i-was-a-young-man-rather/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [The television reports gave me my first inkling of a world beyond my own, a world that wasn't fair or equal, a world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissie-wellington/the-television-reports-gave-me-my-first-inkling-of-a-world-beyond-my/) [Chrissie Wellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissie-wellington/) > [He was saying that the end of the world wasn't an accident; it was a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/he-was-saying-that-the-end-of-the-world-wasn-t-an-accident-it-was-a/) [Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/) > [“What would I fight for in this world if I wasn’t fighting for her?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/what-would-i-fight-for-in-this-world-if-i-wasn-t-fighting-for-her/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [“The world wasn't built in a day. It took a long time to get this far and it still isn't finished. It never will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-wasn-t-built-in-a-day-it-took-a-long-time-to-get-this-far/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A lot of bad stuff in the world wasn’t really that bad until someone tried to change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/a-lot-of-bad-stuff-in-the-world-wasn-t-really-that-bad-until-someone/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) ## More by Connie Brockway > [ “\[S\]he hardly deserved to be labeled a witch.' 'I find it hard to believe anyone could take such a thing seriously. This isn't the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/s-he-hardly-deserved-to-be-labeled-a-witch-i-find-it-hard-to-believe/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“You can’t carry me out your front door in the middle of the day and drop me on the sidewalk!” “I wasn’t going to.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/you-can-t-carry-me-out-your-front-door-in-the-middle-of-the-day-and/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“I love you,” she whispered, gazing up into his pale gray eyes. He smiled crookedly, for a moment looking at her with a dazzled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/i-love-you-she-whispered-gazing-up-into-his-pale-gray-eyes-he-smiled/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [She clutched the train ticket tighter and waited for the sense of escape to come over her as it had a dozen times before,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/she-clutched-the-train-ticket-tighter-and-waited-for-the-sense-of/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [Give me a strong back, over a soft heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/give-me-a-strong-back-over-a-soft-heart/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“Beverly?” she said. “Lady Evelyn.” “Are you a confirmed misogynist or am I special?” His smile was sublime. “My appreciation of the fairer sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/beverly-she-said-lady-evelyn-are-you-a-confirmed-misogynist-or-am-i/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [The lower your decolletage, the less the need for conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/the-lower-your-decolletage-the-less-the-need-for-conversation/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“It looks fine, Beverly.” “I grow faint at such praise.” “Don’t let it go to your head. We still have, what? Another six rooms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/it-looks-fine-beverly-i-grow-faint-at-such-praise-don-t-let-it-go-to/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“Avery?" she whispered. He gathered her closer, his eyes still closed. "Avery?" "Shh." His voice was low and infinitely sad. "Hush. Tomorrow's waiting outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/avery-she-whispered-he-gathered-her-closer-his-eyes-still-closed/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“Marry me,” he said, searching her eyes for some sign, some indication of how to proceed. Her gaze held his. His heart beat in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/marry-me-he-said-searching-her-eyes-for-some-sign-some-indication-of/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“He stood staring down at her a second before raking his hand through his hair. “What the devil am I—Damnation!” “Probably,” Evelyn agreed. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/he-stood-staring-down-at-her-a-second-before-raking-his-hand-through/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“Why did you refuse to marry me then?” he demanded. She should be quiet; she should just stay mute. But she was angry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/why-did-you-refuse-to-marry-me-then-he-demanded-she-should-be-quiet/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“Love shouldn't be comfortable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/love-shouldn-t-be-comfortable/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“He stopped. She heard the intake of his breath. “You are my country, Desdemona.” Yearning, harsh and poignant and she felt herself swaying toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/he-stopped-she-heard-the-intake-of-his-breath-you-are-my-country/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) > [“If it's got a beard or a battery, you're going to have trouble with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/if-it-s-got-a-beard-or-a-battery-you-re-going-to-have-trouble-with-it/) [Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) [Explore all 70 Connie Brockway quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/) ## More Creeds quotes > [Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. With this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/life-appears-to-me-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [When indeed shall we learn that we are all related one to the other, that we are all members of one body? Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/when-indeed-shall-we-learn-that-we-are-all-related-one-to-the-other/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [But there are times when men have serious thoughts, and it is at such times, when they begin to think, that they begin to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/but-there-are-times-when-men-have-serious-thoughts-and-it-is-at-such/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [As in the instances of alchemy, astrology, witchcraft, and other such popular creeds, political economy, has a plausible idea at the root of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/as-in-the-instances-of-alchemy-astrology-witchcraft-and-other-such/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [People frequently ask me why I devote so much time to seeking out facts about man’s past…the past shows clearly that we all have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-leakey/people-frequently-ask-me-why-i-devote-so-much-time-to-seeking-out/) [Louis Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-leakey/) > [As men's habits of mind differ, so that some more readily embrace one form of faith, some another, for what moves one to pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/as-men-s-habits-of-mind-differ-so-that-some-more-readily-embrace-one/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [... what we should be looking for is fresh ideas of how we make moral decisions about our dealings with one another, economic, social,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davis-mccaughey/what-we-should-be-looking-for-is-fresh-ideas-of-how-we-make-moral/) Davis McCaughey > [The history of woman is the history of the continued and universal oppression of one sex by the other. The emancipation of woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-celeste-claflin/the-history-of-woman-is-the-history-of-the-continued-and-universal/) [Tennessee Celeste Claflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-celeste-claflin/) > [Hinduism... gave itself no name, because it set itself no sectarian limits; it claimed no universal adhesion, asserted no sole infallible dogma, set up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-aurobindo/hinduism-gave-itself-no-name-because-it-set-itself-no-sectarian/) [Sri Aurobindo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-aurobindo/) > [Vanity Fair has but two major articles in its editorial creed: first, to believe in the progress and promise of American life, and, second,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-crowninshield/vanity-fair-has-but-two-major-articles-in-its-editorial-creed-first/) [Frank Crowninshield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-crowninshield/) > [I believe in an America where the rights that I have described are enjoyed by all, regardless of their race or their creed or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-believe-in-an-america-where-the-rights-that-i-have-described-are/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I questioned the faithful of all communions; I particularly sought the society of clergymen, who are the depositories of the various creeds and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-questioned-the-faithful-of-all-communions-i-particularly-sought-the/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [No union exists between church and state, and perfect freedom of opinion is guaranteed to all sects and creeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-k-polk/no-union-exists-between-church-and-state-and-perfect-freedom-of/) [James K. Polk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-k-polk/) > [The doctrine of eternal punishment is in perfect harmony with the savagery of the men who made the orthodox creeds. It is in harmony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/the-doctrine-of-eternal-punishment-is-in-perfect-harmony-with-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Political and social justice requires, not the disintegration of a country and destruction or humiliation of a class which shows initiative, intelligence and drive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syama-prasad-mukherjee/political-and-social-justice-requires-not-the-disintegration-of-a/) [Syama Prasad Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syama-prasad-mukherjee/) [Browse all 730 Creeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creeds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "She'd stood by that creed. No softness, because the world wasn't soft; lots of laughter, because if you were in on the joke, the joke couldn't be on you; And no wanting what you couldn't take, because the world never gave. Or so she'd thought.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Connie Brockway" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-because-the-world-wasn-t-soft/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Creeds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-because-the-world-wasn-t-soft/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/connie-brockway-8905_creeds_she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-be_406400.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/connie-brockway-8905_creeds_she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-be_406400.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58a/connie-brockway-8905_creeds_she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-be_406400.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She'd stood by that creed. No softness, because the world wasn't soft; lots of laughter, because if you were…” — Connie Brockway", "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": "Connie Brockway", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "She'd stood by that creed. No...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-because-the-world-wasn-t-soft/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-because-the-world-wasn-t-soft/#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 } } ] } ```