--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's hard to live a good life...It seems…" description: "\"“It's hard to live a good life...It seems like the Devil don't ever let up.”\" — Donald Ray Pollock" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/donald-ray-pollock-7796_devil_it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-l_279842.png" --- # It's hard to live a good life...It seems like the Devil… ![“It's hard to live a good life...It seems like the Devil don't ever let up.” quote by Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/donald-ray-pollock-7796_devil_it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-l_279842.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/donald-ray-pollock-7796_devil_it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-l_279842.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/donald-ray-pollock-7796_devil_it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-l_279842.png) > ““It's hard to live a good life...It seems like the Devil don't ever let up.”” [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life feels constantly challenged by dark forces, making goodness seem unattainable. **In simple terms:** Good life is hard because of relentless negativity. Key Takeaway Accept struggle, seek resilience. Themes struggle morality resilience Mood reflective somber Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - mental health - creative work Key Concepts existentialism human frailty Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain goodness amid persistent negativity? - What practices help counteract a feeling of being thwarted? A Different Perspective Even with effort, external negativity can overwhelm personal virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Good life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Live A Good Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-a-good-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Live a good life. More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/live-a-good-life-more-smiling-less-worrying-more-compassion-less/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [I'm just trying to matter and live a good life and make work that means something to somebody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reese-witherspoon/i-m-just-trying-to-matter-and-live-a-good-life-and-make-work-that/) [Reese Witherspoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reese-witherspoon/) > [You can't teach children to be good. The best you can do for your child is to live a good life yourself. What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-bettelheim/you-can-t-teach-children-to-be-good-the-best-you-can-do-for-your/) [Bruno Bettelheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-bettelheim/) > [The best way to live a good life is not to panic of knowing what the future holds, how youre living the moment determine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaze-olamiday/the-best-way-to-live-a-good-life-is-not-to-panic-of-knowing-what-the/) [Blaze Olamiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaze-olamiday/) > [You can live, provided you live; that is, you can live for ever, provided you live a good life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/you-can-live-provided-you-live-that-is-you-can-live-for-ever-provided/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Fear, logic, and tradition are not going to make you live a good life when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/fear-logic-and-tradition-are-not-going-to-make-you-live-a-good-life/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [My success at living a moral life is pretty terrible, but I still aspire to do it! I identify with the Johnny Cash thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/my-success-at-living-a-moral-life-is-pretty-terrible-but-i-still/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [Be all you can be and live a good life, have fun with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-yothers/be-all-you-can-be-and-live-a-good-life-have-fun-with-it/) [Tina Yothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-yothers/) > [“If you wanna live a good life, start thinking positive and start talking positive. Use your brains and mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reason-makhubela/if-you-wanna-live-a-good-life-start-thinking-positive-and-start/) Reason Makhubela > [You can live a good life no matter what's happened to you. And so I don't know. I know there is condemnation, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-can-live-a-good-life-no-matter-what-s-happened-to-you-and-so-i/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [The woman who truly intends to live a good life is already living phenomenally since intent is part of the achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-woman-who-truly-intends-to-live-a-good-life-is-already-living/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm in an environment where I have a lot of information about how to stay healthy and live a good life. I love vegan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/i-m-in-an-environment-where-i-have-a-lot-of-information-about-how-to/) [Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/) > [“That’s my girl. Live a good life, Ava.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-schroeder/that-s-my-girl-live-a-good-life-ava/) [Lisa Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-schroeder/) > [“I don't know who said it but, "The best revenge is to live a good life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-gibson/i-don-t-know-who-said-it-but-the-best-revenge-is-to-live-a-good-life/) Roberta Gibson > [If you live a good life, that seems to be what really matters. If there is something afterwards, terrific. If not, you haven't lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/if-you-live-a-good-life-that-seems-to-be-what-really-matters-if-there/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) ## More by Donald Ray Pollock > [“Strangers complained about the stench, but the locals liked to brag that it was the sweet smell of money.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/strangers-complained-about-the-stench-but-the-locals-liked-to-brag/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [I don't really think the outburst is recent; there have always been writers in Appalachia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-don-t-really-think-the-outburst-is-recent-there-have-always-been/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Unless he had whiskey running through his veins, Willard came to the clearing every morning and evening to talk to God. Arvin didn't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/unless-he-had-whiskey-running-through-his-veins-willard-came-to-the/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [For example, if it's a sad scene, I need to feel that way, at least to a slight degree and for a short while,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/for-example-if-it-s-a-sad-scene-i-need-to-feel-that-way-at-least-to-a/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [As for how I feel about any success I've had, I just feel extremely lucky. Writing is a tough racket, and there are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/as-for-how-i-feel-about-any-success-i-ve-had-i-just-feel-extremely/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Part of the reason might be that I was born in 1954 and I look upon my youth with great fondness, like many old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/part-of-the-reason-might-be-that-i-was-born-in-1954-and-i-look-upon/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [ I've never heard of that anthology \[Vance Randolph, Pissing in the Snow\], but you can be sure I'll buy it now. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-ve-never-heard-of-that-anthology-vance-randolph-pissing-in-the-snow/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [When I first started out, I was trying to write stories about nurses and lawyers and a lot of people I didn't know anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/when-i-first-started-out-i-was-trying-to-write-stories-about-nurses/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [I'm not sure what the proper label might be, or the most accurate one, but someone once called my stuff Southern Ohio Gothic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-m-not-sure-what-the-proper-label-might-be-or-the-most-accurate-one/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [Don't get me wrong: I think that everyone should put forth an effort to do better, but let's face it, some of us are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/don-t-get-me-wrong-i-think-that-everyone-should-put-forth-an-effort/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [ I look upon \[writing about religion\] as a nice way to get by in this precarious world, though I've never been able to do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-look-upon-writing-about-religion-as-a-nice-way-to-get-by-in-this/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [ \[Degree in English\] gave me a little more self-confidence, to know that I'd managed to complete something like that. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/degree-in-english-gave-me-a-little-more-self-confidence-to-know-that/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [When I was growing up, I always wanted to be somebody else and live somewhere else. I've always felt a little uncomfortable around people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/when-i-was-growing-up-i-always-wanted-to-be-somebody-else-and-live/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [There are a lot of writers from the South who would probably have once figured they needed to go to New York to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/there-are-a-lot-of-writers-from-the-south-who-would-probably-have/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) > [I think the biggest influence on the book, as far as the humor goes, comes, at least indirectly, from the men I worked with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/i-think-the-biggest-influence-on-the-book-as-far-as-the-humor-goes/) [Donald Ray Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) [Explore all 87 Donald Ray Pollock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/) ## More Devil quotes > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [Alimony - the ransom that the happy pay to the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/alimony-the-ransom-that-the-happy-pay-to-the-devil/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [Your head's like mine, like all our heads; big enough to contain every god and devil there ever was. Big enough to hold the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/your-head-s-like-mine-like-all-our-heads-big-enough-to-contain-every/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [And so it is, that both the Devil and the angelic Spirit present us with objects of desire to awaken our power of choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/and-so-it-is-that-both-the-devil-and-the-angelic-spirit-present-us/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Whig far longer than he was a Republican. As a whole, the Whigs looked upon banks and corporations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/remember-that-abraham-lincoln-was-a-whig-far-longer-than-he-was-a/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [Wine is the first weapon that devils use in attacking the young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/wine-is-the-first-weapon-that-devils-use-in-attacking-the-young/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [“I tend to agree with that little devil more and more these days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/i-tend-to-agree-with-that-little-devil-more-and-more-these-days/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-crichton/this-is-the-gift-of-your-species-and-this-is-the-danger-because-you/) [Michael Crichton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-crichton/) > [“The devil?” Jason heaved the tick over his shoulder like a collier with his sack. “Satan. The adversary. The enemy of the plan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/the-devil-jason-heaved-the-tick-over-his-shoulder-like-a-collier-with/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [God never talks. But the devil keeps advertising, Father. The devil does a lot of commercials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-peter-blatty/god-never-talks-but-the-devil-keeps-advertising-father-the-devil-does/) [William Peter Blatty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-peter-blatty/) > [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist”—Charles Baudelaire “The second greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/the-greatest-trick-the-devil-ever-pulled-was-convincing-the-world-he/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) [Browse all 4,283 Devil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's hard to live a good life...It seems like the Devil don't ever let up.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Donald Ray Pollock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-like-the-devil-don-t-ever-let/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Devil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-like-the-devil-don-t-ever-let/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/donald-ray-pollock-7796_devil_it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-l_279842.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/donald-ray-pollock-7796_devil_it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-l_279842.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07d/donald-ray-pollock-7796_devil_it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-l_279842.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's hard to live a good life...It seems like the Devil don't ever let up.” — Donald Ray Pollock", "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": "Donald Ray Pollock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-ray-pollock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It's hard to live a good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-like-the-devil-don-t-ever-let/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-ray-pollock/it-s-hard-to-live-a-good-life-it-seems-like-the-devil-don-t-ever-let/#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 } } ] } ```