--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life's hard. It's supposed to be. If we…" description: "\"Life's hard. It's supposed to be. If we didn't suffer, we'd never learn anything.\" — Ethan Hawke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/ethan-hawke-1828_before-sunset_life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-di_3203547.png" --- # Life's hard. It's supposed to be. If we didn't suffer… ![“Life's hard. It's supposed to be. If we didn't suffer, we'd never learn anything.” quote by Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/ethan-hawke-1828_before-sunset_life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-di_3203547.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/ethan-hawke-1828_before-sunset_life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-di_3203547.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/ethan-hawke-1828_before-sunset_life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-di_3203547.png) > “Life's hard. It's supposed to be. If we didn't suffer, we'd never learn anything.” [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suffering is inevitable and essential for learning and growth. **In simple terms:** Hardship teaches lessons. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges as learning opportunities. Themes growth pain learning Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal setbacks - career hardships - academic struggles Key Concepts existentialism resilience Questions to Reflect On - What lesson have you gained from hardship? - Can you find meaning in current struggles? A Different Perspective Not all pain leads to insight; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Before sunset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before-sunset/) [Didn Suffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-suffer-1376575/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-supposed-844741/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-hard/) [Suffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffer/) [Suffer Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffer-learn-1801602/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Sunset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sunset/) [Supposed to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-to-be/) ## Related quotes > [Every step of the way, life was hard. I was supposed to be a statistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/every-step-of-the-way-life-was-hard-i-was-supposed-to-be-a-statistic/) [Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/) > [When you do 'Before Sunset,' you know while it's a limited audience, there was a very small group of people that love 'Before Sunrise.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/when-you-do-before-sunset-you-know-while-it-s-a-limited-audience/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [If it comes easy, if it doesn’t require extraordinary effort, you’re not pushing hard enough. It’s supposed to hurt like hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-karnazes/if-it-comes-easy-if-it-doesn-t-require-extraordinary-effort-you-re/) [Dean Karnazes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-karnazes/) > [Of course it's hard. It's supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everybody would do it. Hard is what makes it great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/of-course-it-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-hard-if-it-were-easy/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“I didn’t know about jealousy or depressions or anything like that. I had such a wonderful existence being a kindergarten teacher – you didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-morton/i-didn-t-know-about-jealousy-or-depressions-or-anything-like-that-i/) [Andrew Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-morton/) > [I always had the sense with her that she didn't suffer fools gladly but that life was taking great pains to show her how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/i-always-had-the-sense-with-her-that-she-didn-t-suffer-fools-gladly/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [I was one of the first black players in Italian football. But I didn't suffer any racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/i-was-one-of-the-first-black-players-in-italian-football-but-i-didn-t/) [Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/) > [I never, ever, saw the evil Steve Jobs. He was always the most well-mannered and respectful guy I knew. And we got to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-never-ever-saw-the-evil-steve-jobs-he-was-always-the-most-well/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [“I discovered that when I believed my thoughts, I suffered,” Katie says, “but that when I didn’t believe them, I didn’t suffer, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/i-discovered-that-when-i-believed-my-thoughts-i-suffered-katie-says/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [It's not that I didn't suffer or anything, I feel like it would be a sin if I complained that's why I'm just very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heart-evangelista/it-s-not-that-i-didn-t-suffer-or-anything-i-feel-like-it-would-be-a/) [Heart Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heart-evangelista/) > [Jesus didn't suffer so we wouldn't have to suffer. He suffered so that we would know how to suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-evert/jesus-didn-t-suffer-so-we-wouldn-t-have-to-suffer-he-suffered-so-that/) [Jason Evert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-evert/) > [I hammered him with my fists. He just stood and took it. He didn't suffer graciously, he looked pissed off to no end. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-hammered-him-with-my-fists-he-just-stood-and-took-it-he-didn-t/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [People bashed Drake based off the fact that he didn't suffer. Who cares! Do you like the music or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-yachty/people-bashed-drake-based-off-the-fact-that-he-didn-t-suffer-who/) [Lil Yachty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-yachty/) > [We need to suffer, that we may learn to pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letitia-elizabeth-landon/we-need-to-suffer-that-we-may-learn-to-pity/) [Letitia Elizabeth Landon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letitia-elizabeth-landon/) > [Greece is like a mirror. It makes you suffer. Then you learn.' To live alone?' To live. With what you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/greece-is-like-a-mirror-it-makes-you-suffer-then-you-learn-to-live/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) ## More by Ethan Hawke > [If you study the history of mankind, it seems to be a history of violence. Certainly the history of art, whether you look at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/if-you-study-the-history-of-mankind-it-seems-to-be-a-history-of/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [Time is what creates trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/time-is-what-creates-trust/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [To be married to another famous person was a huge pressure, one I didn't enjoy. And it had nothing to do with her. She's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/to-be-married-to-another-famous-person-was-a-huge-pressure-one-i-didn/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [Friends can hurt you, but the possibility of pain with lovers is so much greater because your expectations are so high. You don't ask…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/friends-can-hurt-you-but-the-possibility-of-pain-with-lovers-is-so/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [If you don't risk doing something foolish, you'll never do anything special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/if-you-don-t-risk-doing-something-foolish-you-ll-never-do-anything/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [Most of us float with the river and there are a few people who move the river. Robert DeNiro is definitely one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/most-of-us-float-with-the-river-and-there-are-a-few-people-who-move/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [Often you see a famous actor who says they produced something, when all they did was claim to have an idea at a dinner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/often-you-see-a-famous-actor-who-says-they-produced-something-when/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [In truth, the world is a complicated place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/in-truth-the-world-is-a-complicated-place/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [I think that if you walk through this life and I end up being a bad father, then it won't matter anything else I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/i-think-that-if-you-walk-through-this-life-and-i-end-up-being-a-bad/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [Directing is like putting together a collage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/directing-is-like-putting-together-a-collage/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [There is no trick to writing a believable love story, a heartbreaking scene or real-sounding dialogue. All you need is to tell the truth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/there-is-no-trick-to-writing-a-believable-love-story-a-heartbreaking/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [There's some kind of actors that can radically change who they are from movie to movie. I've never really been that kind of actor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/there-s-some-kind-of-actors-that-can-radically-change-who-they-are/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [It's a really unique job that is a little schizophrenic and you have to kind of do it with a sense of humor.The trick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/it-s-a-really-unique-job-that-is-a-little-schizophrenic-and-you-have/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [My first car was kind of sad. My first car was when my parents had completely worn out their Toyota Corolla that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/my-first-car-was-kind-of-sad-my-first-car-was-when-my-parents-had/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [ The script \[of Regression\] wasn't the draw for me. It was largely Alejandro \[Amenabar\] and his way of talking. To hear him talking about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/the-script-of-regression-wasn-t-the-draw-for-me-it-was-largely/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) [Explore all 205 Ethan Hawke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) ## More Before sunset quotes > [It is more important that you should know about the reverses than about the successes of the war. We shall have all eternity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/it-is-more-important-that-you-should-know-about-the-reverses-than/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [Being alone is better than sitting next to a lover and feeling lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/being-alone-is-better-than-sitting-next-to-a-lover-and-feeling-lonely/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [Reality and love are almost contradictory for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/reality-and-love-are-almost-contradictory-for-me/) [Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/) > [St. Francis of Assisi was hoeing his garden when someone asked what he would do if he were suddenly to learn that he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/st-francis-of-assisi-was-hoeing-his-garden-when-someone-asked-what-he/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [The look he gave me...My stomach quivered in that exact same way when I watched Before Sunset, yearning for a guy to know me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-look-he-gave-me-my-stomach-quivered-in-that-exact-same-way-when-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you do 'Before Sunset,' you know while it's a limited audience, there was a very small group of people that love 'Before Sunrise.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/when-you-do-before-sunset-you-know-while-it-s-a-limited-audience/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [We have all eternity to celebrate the victories but only a few hours before sunset to win them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/we-have-all-eternity-to-celebrate-the-victories-but-only-a-few-hours/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) > [I think my soul never was in such an agony before. I felt no restraint, for the treasures of divine grace were opened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brainerd/i-think-my-soul-never-was-in-such-an-agony-before-i-felt-no-restraint/) [David Brainerd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brainerd/) > [A surging, seething, murmuring crowd of beings that are human only in name, for to the eye and ear they seem naught but savage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-surging-seething-murmuring-crowd-of-beings-that-are-human-only-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We moved leisurely towards Mount Foster, on the 22nd, and arrived opposite to it a little before sunset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-sturt/we-moved-leisurely-towards-mount-foster-on-the-22nd-and-arrived/) [Charles Sturt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-sturt/) > [I like working until the morning, so I can see the day and then I like to go to sleep and then get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-jones/i-like-working-until-the-morning-so-i-can-see-the-day-and-then-i-like/) [Grace Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-jones/) > [I don't know what happened. I just didn't feel good today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-slutskaya/i-don-t-know-what-happened-i-just-didn-t-feel-good-today/) [Irina Slutskaya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-slutskaya/) > [Isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-delpy/isn-t-everything-we-do-in-life-a-way-to-be-loved-a-little-more/) [Julie Delpy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-delpy/) [Browse all 14 Before sunset quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/before-sunset/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life's hard. It's supposed to be. If we didn't suffer, we'd never learn anything.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ethan Hawke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-didn-t-suffer-we-d-never-learn/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Before sunset" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-didn-t-suffer-we-d-never-learn/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/ethan-hawke-1828_before-sunset_life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-di_3203547.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/ethan-hawke-1828_before-sunset_life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-di_3203547.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/058/ethan-hawke-1828_before-sunset_life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-di_3203547.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Life's hard. It's supposed to be. If we didn't suffer, we'd never learn anything.” — Ethan Hawke", "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": "Ethan Hawke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Life's hard. It's supposed to be....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-didn-t-suffer-we-d-never-learn/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/life-s-hard-it-s-supposed-to-be-if-we-didn-t-suffer-we-d-never-learn/#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 } } ] } ```