---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course all life is a process of…"
description: "\"Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work-- the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_bigs_of-course-all-life-is-a-process-of-break_3189860.jpg"
---

#  Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the…

![“Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work-- the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside-- the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don't show their effect all at…” quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_bigs_of-course-all-life-is-a-process-of-break_3189860.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_bigs_of-course-all-life-is-a-process-of-break_3189860.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/891/f-scott-fitzgerald-72_bigs_of-course-all-life-is-a-process-of-break_3189860.jpg)

> “Of course all life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work-- the big sudden blows that come, or seem to come, from outside-- the ones you remember and blame things on and, in moments of weakness, tell your friends about, don't show their effect all at once. There is another sort of blow that comes from within-that you don't feel until it's too late to do anything about it, until you realize with finality that in some regard you will never be as good a man again.”

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

External crises are memorable, but internal, gradual declines can be more devastating and harder to recognize.

**In simple terms:** Big shocks are obvious; quiet erosion is deadly.

Key Takeaway

Watch for subtle internal declines before they become irreversible.

Themes

change self-awareness resilience

Mood

somber introspective

Type

cautionary philosophical

When to use this quote

- health decline
- relationship breakdown
- career burnout
- financial loss

Key Concepts

psychology personal growth

Questions to Reflect On

- What internal blows are you overlooking?
- How can you detect gradual decline early?

A Different Perspective

Ignoring internal signs can lead to unexpected collapse.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Breaking down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-down/) [Dramatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dramatic/) [Finality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finality/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Moments of weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments-of-weakness/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/)

## Related quotes

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> [We all have moments of weakness. It’s how we recover from them that really counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/we-all-have-moments-of-weakness-it-s-how-we-recover-from-them-that/)

[Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/)

> [You find strength in your moments of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-zolciak-biermann/you-find-strength-in-your-moments-of-weakness/)

[Kim Zolciak-Biermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-zolciak-biermann/)

> [“Moments of weakness build character and reinforce stability. You take the good from the bad and vice versa. We pick and choose our demons,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/moments-of-weakness-build-character-and-reinforce-stability-you-take/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“He was not going to give her the smile she was hunting. He couldn't allow it. Trina collected his moments of weakness like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-tenorio/he-was-not-going-to-give-her-the-smile-she-was-hunting-he-couldn-t/)

[Dee Tenorio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-tenorio/)

> [“sometimes I think that maybe we’re not really people at all. Maybe moments are what we are. Moments of weakness, of strength. Moments of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/sometimes-i-think-that-maybe-we-re-not-really-people-at-all-maybe/)

[Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/)

> [I've found you find strength in your moments of weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rascal-flatts/i-ve-found-you-find-strength-in-your-moments-of-weakness/)

[Rascal Flatts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rascal-flatts/)

> [ “\[Carter\] shook it off. "Don't worry about it. We all have moments of weakness. It's how we recover from them that really counts." (Chapter 19)” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/carter-shook-it-off-don-t-worry-about-it-we-all-have-moments-of/)

[Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/)

> [“When you were a child, you used to run to me for protection. Now, in moments of weakness, I want to hide my head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/when-you-were-a-child-you-used-to-run-to-me-for-protection-now-in/)

[Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/)

> [I don't have moments of weakness. I'm Rik Mayall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rik-mayall/i-don-t-have-moments-of-weakness-i-m-rik-mayall/)

[Rik Mayall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rik-mayall/)

> [“We all have our moments of weakness. Even the best of us. Luckily, we have friends who keep us in line. I like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-s-perry/we-all-have-our-moments-of-weakness-even-the-best-of-us-luckily-we/)

S.K.S. Perry

> [We've all had our moments of weakness, and if we manage to get through today without any, we'll be sure to have some tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-ve-all-had-our-moments-of-weakness-and-if-we-manage-to-get-through/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Everyone has moments of weakness. But that doesn't make you weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-alender/everyone-has-moments-of-weakness-but-that-doesn-t-make-you-weak/)

[Katie Alender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-alender/)

> [It is not your moments of weakness that define you, it's what you do after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/it-is-not-your-moments-of-weakness-that-define-you-it-s-what-you-do/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

## More by F. Scott Fitzgerald

> [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [“There was a ripe mystery about it, a hint of bedrooms upstairs more beautiful and cool than other bedrooms, of gay and radiant activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/there-was-a-ripe-mystery-about-it-a-hint-of-bedrooms-upstairs-more/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [I want you to take a red-hot bath as hot as you can bear it, and just relax your nerves. You can read in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-want-you-to-take-a-red-hot-bath-as-hot-as-you-can-bear-it-and-just/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [I found something! Courage--just that; courage as a rule of life and something to cling to always.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-found-something-courage-just-that-courage-as-a-rule-of-life-and/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [“Life is a series of successful gestures...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/life-is-a-series-of-successful-gestures/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [“Another dawn flung itself across the river; a belated taxi hurried along the street, its lamps still shining like burning eyes in a face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/another-dawn-flung-itself-across-the-river-a-belated-taxi-hurried/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [“I'm one of those people who go through the world giving other people thrills but getting few myself except those I read into men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/i-m-one-of-those-people-who-go-through-the-world-giving-other-people/)

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> [The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-montana-sunset-lay-between-the-mountains-like-a-giant-bruise-from/)

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> [“You loved me too?" he repeated.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/you-loved-me-too-he-repeated/)

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> [“He was good looking, "sort of distinguished when he wants to be", had a line, and was properly inconstant. In fact, he summed up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/he-was-good-looking-sort-of-distinguished-when-he-wants-to-be-had-a/)

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> [What are you going to do? "Can't say - run for president, write -" "Greenwich Village?" "Good heavens, no - I said write -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/what-are-you-going-to-do-can-t-say-run-for-president-write-greenwich/)

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> [“The latter was considered a good fellow and a fine leader, until a year later, when he disappeared with a mess fund of eleven…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/the-latter-was-considered-a-good-fellow-and-a-fine-leader-until-a/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

> [“It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/it-eluded-us-then-but-that-s-no-matter-tomorrow-we-will-run-faster/)

[F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

[Explore all 1,568 F. Scott Fitzgerald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/)

## More Bigs quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

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> [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/)

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> [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/)

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> [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/)

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> [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/)

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> [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/)

[Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/)

> [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/)

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> [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/)

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> [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/)

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> [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/)

[Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/)

> [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/)

[Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/)

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