--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This way, suffering becomes a fearful…" description: "\"“This way, suffering becomes a fearful gift, very different from that other gift, happiness, conventionally defined. The latter brings pleasure, but th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/david-brooks-644_character_this-way-suffering-becomes-a-fearful-gif_468689.png" --- # This way, suffering becomes a fearful gift, very different… ![“This way, suffering becomes a fearful gift, very different from that other gift, happiness, conventionally defined. The latter brings pleasure, but the former cultivates character.” quote by David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/david-brooks-644_character_this-way-suffering-becomes-a-fearful-gif_468689.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/david-brooks-644_character_this-way-suffering-becomes-a-fearful-gif_468689.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/david-brooks-644_character_this-way-suffering-becomes-a-fearful-gif_468689.png) > ““This way, suffering becomes a fearful gift, very different from that other gift, happiness, conventionally defined. The latter brings pleasure, but the former cultivates character.”” [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suffering, unlike happiness, builds resilience and moral strength, acting as a challenging but valuable teacher. **In simple terms:** Hardship builds character, unlike pleasure. Key Takeaway Embrace difficulty to grow. Themes character resilience growth Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - leadership training - mental health coping - parenting challenges Key Concepts philosophy psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn current hardships into character lessons? - What aspects of happiness support character? A Different Perspective Pleasure can also foster growth; not all suffering is constructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fearful Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful-gift-4055757/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Happiness Conventionally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness-conventionally-4055758/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suffering Fearful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering-fearful-4055756/) [Way Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-suffering-2992751/) ## Related quotes > [“A person with a melancholy temperament had been fated with both an awful burden and what Byron called “a fearful gift.” The burden was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-wolf-shenk/a-person-with-a-melancholy-temperament-had-been-fated-with-both-an/) [Joshua Wolf Shenk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-wolf-shenk/) > [When so many of our dreams had come true and yet I still saw that so many of my friends were in a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mangum/when-so-many-of-our-dreams-had-come-true-and-yet-i-still-saw-that-so/) [Jeff Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-mangum/) > [Through me the way into the suffering city, Through me the way to the eternal pain, Through me the way that runs among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/through-me-the-way-into-the-suffering-city-through-me-the-way-to-the/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flavel/the-scriptures-teach-us-the-best-way-of-living-the-noblest-way-of/) [John Flavel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flavel/) > [“Through me the way into the suffering city, Through me the way into eternal pain, Through me the way that runs among the lost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-alighieri/through-me-the-way-into-the-suffering-city-through-me-the-way-into/) [Dante Alighieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-alighieri/) > [The way of the cross is the way of suffering. 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