--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We seldom break our leg so long as life…" description: "\"We seldom break our leg so long as life continues a toilsome upward climb. The danger comes when we begin to take things easily and choose the convenie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/friedrich-nietzsche-15_break_we-seldom-break-our-leg-so-long-as-life_916126.jpg" --- # We seldom break our leg so long as life continues a… ![“We seldom break our leg so long as life continues a toilsome upward climb. The danger comes when we begin to take things easily and choose the convenient paths.” quote by Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/friedrich-nietzsche-15_break_we-seldom-break-our-leg-so-long-as-life_916126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/friedrich-nietzsche-15_break_we-seldom-break-our-leg-so-long-as-life_916126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d7/friedrich-nietzsche-15_break_we-seldom-break-our-leg-so-long-as-life_916126.jpg) > “We seldom break our leg so long as life continues a toilsome upward climb. The danger comes when we begin to take things easily and choose the convenient paths.” [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a hard ascent; comfort and ease become the true danger, leading to stagnation. **In simple terms:** Hard work is essential; taking shortcuts harms growth. Key Takeaway Avoid easy shortcuts; keep striving upward. Themes hardship growth discipline Mood reflective serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - personal development - physical training - academic study Key Concepts existentialism self-overcoming Questions to Reflect On - Do you choose convenience over challenge? - How does effort shape character? A Different Perspective Comfort can mask underlying problems and cause decline. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Path](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/path/) ## Related quotes > [We seldom break a leg as long as we are climbing wearily upwards in our lives, instead we do it when we start going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-seldom-break-a-leg-as-long-as-we-are-climbing-wearily-upwards-in/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“She, who had descended with such joy and pain, had begun her upward climb—upward, with her baby, on the steep, steep side of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/she-who-had-descended-with-such-joy-and-pain-had-begun-her-upward/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [Persons, especially salaried people who schedule their spare time, to provide for home study (or attend specialized short courses, seminars or training) seldom remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/persons-especially-salaried-people-who-schedule-their-spare-time-to/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The path to God is rarely a steady climb upward. We climb, we fall back, and we climb higher again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/the-path-to-god-is-rarely-a-steady-climb-upward-we-climb-we-fall-back/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [The upward climb I'm on, obviously I'm getting better. And if that continues to happen I should end up in a good place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shai-gilgeous-alexander/the-upward-climb-i-m-on-obviously-i-m-getting-better-and-if-that/) [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shai-gilgeous-alexander/) > [“You can't walk straight on a crooked line. You try you'll break your leg. How can you walk straight in a crooked system?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/you-can-t-walk-straight-on-a-crooked-line-you-try-you-ll-break-your/) [Vaunda Micheaux Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaunda-micheaux-nelson/) > [“Aisha…is it wrong of me to wish you to break a leg? Into many tiny, little pieces? And when or if it heals…would it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiry-nieves/aisha-is-it-wrong-of-me-to-wish-you-to-break-a-leg-into-many-tiny/) [Eiry Nieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiry-nieves/) > [“Don't play," said Hermione at once. "Say you're ill," said Ron. "Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested. " Really break your leg," said Ron.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/don-t-play-said-hermione-at-once-say-you-re-ill-said-ron-pretend-to/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [“Not only me,” I admitted. “Kriss. She’s at the top, too.” “Do you need me to break her leg? I could make it happen.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/not-only-me-i-admitted-kriss-she-s-at-the-top-too-do-you-need-me-to/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [“Break a leg up there,” Jace said with a wicked grin. “And I’ll be down here, hopefully breaking someone else’s.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/break-a-leg-up-there-jace-said-with-a-wicked-grin-and-i-ll-be-down/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [There's always a little fear anytime you're doing something crazy because at any moment you can break a leg, land on your neck, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-mikulak/there-s-always-a-little-fear-anytime-you-re-doing-something-crazy/) [Sam Mikulak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-mikulak/) > [I'd never gone as a kid to an ice rink. There was always that fear that I'd break my leg and it would affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-langford/i-d-never-gone-as-a-kid-to-an-ice-rink-there-was-always-that-fear/) [Bonnie Langford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-langford/) > [Break a leg up there, and I'll be down here hopefully breaking someone elses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/break-a-leg-up-there-and-i-ll-be-down-here-hopefully-breaking-someone/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“break his leg if he was not very careful. “Watch out for the girl with freckles,” he said, referring to the ball, “and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/break-his-leg-if-he-was-not-very-careful-watch-out-for-the-girl-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Rosie: Alright everyone, break a leg!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-bugs-life/rosie-alright-everyone-break-a-leg/) [A Bugs Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-bugs-life/) ## More by Friedrich Nietzsche > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Every select man strives instinctively for a citadel and a privacy, where he is FREE from the crowd, the many, the majority-- where he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/every-select-man-strives-instinctively-for-a-citadel-and-a-privacy/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“79. A soul which knows that it is loved, but does not itself love, betrays its sediment: its dregs come up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/79-a-soul-which-knows-that-it-is-loved-but-does-not-itself-love/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [We deceive ourselves when giving respect to the person for whom we have surrendered ourselves, when we respectively expect them to be as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/we-deceive-ourselves-when-giving-respect-to-the-person-for-whom-we/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The great periods of our life occur when we gain the courage to rechristen what is bad about us as what is best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-great-periods-of-our-life-occur-when-we-gain-the-courage-to/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“What is life? Life - that is: continually shedding something that wants to die. Life - that is: being cruel and inexorable against everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/what-is-life-life-that-is-continually-shedding-something-that-wants/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is thus only this personal feeling of misery that we get rid of by acts of pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-is-thus-only-this-personal-feeling-of-misery-that-we-get-rid-of-by/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Writers whose thoughts are expressed with clarity and precision are assumed by readers to be superficial. Where the meaning is obscured, then readers give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/writers-whose-thoughts-are-expressed-with-clarity-and-precision-are/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“he does not wear a twitching, mobile, human face, but rather a mask, as it were, with its features in dignified equilibrium; he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-does-not-wear-a-twitching-mobile-human-face-but-rather-a-mask-as/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Chastity is a virtue with some, but with many it is almost a vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/chastity-is-a-virtue-with-some-but-with-many-it-is-almost-a-vice/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The earth is like the breasts of a woman: useful as well as pleasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-earth-is-like-the-breasts-of-a-woman-useful-as-well-as-pleasing/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Of all that is written I love only what a man has written in his own blood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/of-all-that-is-written-i-love-only-what-a-man-has-written-in-his-own/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [No shepherd and one herd! Everybody wants the same, everybody is the same: whoever feels different goes voluntarily into a madhouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/no-shepherd-and-one-herd-everybody-wants-the-same-everybody-is-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Pain makes hens and poets cackle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/pain-makes-hens-and-poets-cackle/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) [Explore all 3,486 Friedrich Nietzsche quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. 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No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) Peter Dunne > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. 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