--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Theres nothing like being a soldier for…" description: "\"Theres nothing like being a soldier for confidence or learning your limits or enduring utter humiliation.\" — Guy Davenport" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/guy-davenport-14485_confidence_theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for_2358031.png" --- # Theres nothing like being a soldier for confidence or… ![“Theres nothing like being a soldier for confidence or learning your limits or enduring utter humiliation.” quote by Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/guy-davenport-14485_confidence_theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for_2358031.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/guy-davenport-14485_confidence_theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for_2358031.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/guy-davenport-14485_confidence_theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for_2358031.png) > “Theres nothing like being a soldier for confidence or learning your limits or enduring utter humiliation.” [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the paradox of military life: it builds confidence, reveals personal limits, and can involve extreme humiliation. **In simple terms:** Soldier life teaches confidence, limits, and humiliation. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges to discover strength. Themes confidence self‑discovery humiliation military life Mood reflective serious Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - boot camp - leadership training - combat missions - team building exercises Key Concepts psychology resilience identity stress Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance confidence with humility? - What limits have you discovered through hardship? A Different Perspective Humiliation can damage mental health if not managed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Endure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure/) [Humiliation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humiliation/) [Like Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-soldier-471627/) [Limits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limits/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Soldier Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier-confidence-5415456/) ## Related quotes > [There's nothing like being a soldier for confidence or learning your limits or enduring utter humiliation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/there-s-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for-confidence-or-learning-your/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [ I had the opportunity to learn more about what life is like for a soldier \[in The Yellow Birds\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/i-had-the-opportunity-to-learn-more-about-what-life-is-like-for-a/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [I have seen the day of wrong through the little hole of discretion, and I will right myself like a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-have-seen-the-day-of-wrong-through-the-little-hole-of-discretion/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I know I'm not going to write as well as I used to. I no longer have the stamina to endure the frustration. Writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/i-know-i-m-not-going-to-write-as-well-as-i-used-to-i-no-longer-have/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [I became an artist because of the possibility it gave me to develop in another way, because I didn't want to follow the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-baselitz/i-became-an-artist-because-of-the-possibility-it-gave-me-to-develop/) [Georg Baselitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-baselitz/) > [“I run to the coffeemaker like a soldier returning to a lost love after the war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/i-run-to-the-coffeemaker-like-a-soldier-returning-to-a-lost-love/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“I began, I remember, because I felt I had to. I'd reached that modest height in my career, that gentle rise, from which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/i-began-i-remember-because-i-felt-i-had-to-i-d-reached-that-modest/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [True love is like a soldier ..loyal till we die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritzy/true-love-is-like-a-soldier-loyal-till-we-die/) [Ritzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritzy/) > [I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his honour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-b-travis/i-am-determined-to-sustain-myself-as-long-as-possible-and-die-like-a/) [William B. Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-b-travis/) > [“Like a soldier standing long under fire, any change comes as a relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/like-a-soldier-standing-long-under-fire-any-change-comes-as-a-relief/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [I can work hard and be disciplined like a soldier, but I could never reach their level of fitness. I have a whole new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-armitage/i-can-work-hard-and-be-disciplined-like-a-soldier-but-i-could-never/) [Richard Armitage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-armitage/) > [“Britain, in the memorable phrase of another young State Department officer, “was like a soldier wounded in war who, now that the fighting was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-l-mee-jr/britain-in-the-memorable-phrase-of-another-young-state-department/) [Charles L. Mee Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-l-mee-jr/) > [Be like a soldier, know when to fight, know when to surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-like-a-soldier-know-when-to-fight-know-when-to-surrender/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the black of my eyes you can find a soul, one that has burned in the core of hell, loved in an irrational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-lucci/in-the-black-of-my-eyes-you-can-find-a-soul-one-that-has-burned-in/) [Madeline Lucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-lucci/) > [Knew you was the one, that's why I chose you. Cause you get down for yours and ride like a soldier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-diddy/knew-you-was-the-one-that-s-why-i-chose-you-cause-you-get-down-for/) [P Diddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-diddy/) ## More by Guy Davenport > [Art knows neither doctrine nor idea; its nature is to show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/art-knows-neither-doctrine-nor-idea-its-nature-is-to-show/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [I was thought to be retarded as a child, and all the evidence indicates that I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/i-was-thought-to-be-retarded-as-a-child-and-all-the-evidence/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [“Sometimes when reading Goethe I have a paralyzing suspicion that he is trying to be funny.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/sometimes-when-reading-goethe-i-have-a-paralyzing-suspicion-that-he/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [The poet is at the edge of our consciousness of the world, finding beyond the suspected nothingness which we imagine limits our perception another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/the-poet-is-at-the-edge-of-our-consciousness-of-the-world-finding/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [“The poet and poetess have always had a rough time of it in the Republic. It has ever been their endemic luck to starve,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/the-poet-and-poetess-have-always-had-a-rough-time-of-it-in-the/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [Something of the previous state, however, survives every change. This is called in the language of cybernetics (which took it form the language of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/something-of-the-previous-state-however-survives-every-change-this-is/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [I’ve carved the puppet, and I manipulate the strings, but while it’s on stage, the show belongs to the puppet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/i-ve-carved-the-puppet-and-i-manipulate-the-strings-but-while-it-s-on/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [Art is the attention we pay to the wholeness of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/art-is-the-attention-we-pay-to-the-wholeness-of-the-world/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [“I God, a very Gomorry on wheels! You lead the most exciting life I know of, and complain more about it than any two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/i-god-a-very-gomorry-on-wheels-you-lead-the-most-exciting-life-i-know/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [“Man was first a hunter, and an artist: his early vestiges tell us that alone. But he must always have dreamed, and recognized and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/man-was-first-a-hunter-and-an-artist-his-early-vestiges-tell-us-that/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [It is worthwhile adding that the power of the poem to teach not only sensibilities and the subtle movements of the spirit but knowledge,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/it-is-worthwhile-adding-that-the-power-of-the-poem-to-teach-not-only/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [nothing now exists that is so valuable as whatever theoretically might replace it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/nothing-now-exists-that-is-so-valuable-as-whatever-theoretically/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [Originality houses many rooms, and the views from the windows are all different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/originality-houses-many-rooms-and-the-views-from-the-windows-are-all/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [My view, as one who taught it, is that the whole purpose of a literary education should be to tell people that these things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/my-view-as-one-who-taught-it-is-that-the-whole-purpose-of-a-literary/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) > [“Bonnie Jean (who thinks all philosophers are idiots) has this quarrel with Wittgenstein, who in several places says that reddish green is inconceivable. Yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/bonnie-jean-who-thinks-all-philosophers-are-idiots-has-this-quarrel/) [Guy Davenport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) [Explore all 46 Guy Davenport quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/) ## More Confidence quotes > [The CIA has concluded in a secret assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election to help Donald Trump win the presidency rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/the-cia-has-concluded-in-a-secret-assessment-that-russia-intervened/) [Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/) > [I was just confident my work was good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bunny-yeager/i-was-just-confident-my-work-was-good/) [Bunny Yeager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bunny-yeager/) > [I am confident when I take the penalty otherwise I would pass for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-am-confident-when-i-take-the-penalty-otherwise-i-would-pass-for/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [Confidence comes from cutting yourself some slack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-daly/confidence-comes-from-cutting-yourself-some-slack/) [Tess Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-daly/) > [I would rather regret the things that I have done than the things that I have not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/i-would-rather-regret-the-things-that-i-have-done-than-the-things/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [You want to remain hungry and stay in a good place as a competitor; at the same time, you want to be confident but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lamar-odom/you-want-to-remain-hungry-and-stay-in-a-good-place-as-a-competitor-at/) [Lamar Odom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lamar-odom/) > [Get to know yourself well enough to not only expect, but also control, your response to the unexpected challenges in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senoraroy/get-to-know-yourself-well-enough-to-not-only-expect-but-also-control/) [Senoraroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senoraroy/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [I look for someone who has confidence. Also someone whose energetic, cause I'm NOT that energetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-jonas/i-look-for-someone-who-has-confidence-also-someone-whose-energetic/) [Nick Jonas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-jonas/) > [Why shouldn't I be confident? I'm well educated, I can deliver a line, and I have more than three expressions. That's good right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonakshi-sinha/why-shouldn-t-i-be-confident-i-m-well-educated-i-can-deliver-a-line/) [Sonakshi Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonakshi-sinha/) > [I was very confident on the stage, and I stood out in a red gown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-johnson/i-was-very-confident-on-the-stage-and-i-stood-out-in-a-red-gown/) [Nicole Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-johnson/) > [If you go to any nunnery and ask them what the main obstacle is, they'll always say low self-esteem and lack of confidence. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenzin-palmo/if-you-go-to-any-nunnery-and-ask-them-what-the-main-obstacle-is-they/) [Tenzin Palmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenzin-palmo/) [Browse all 11,290 Confidence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Theres nothing like being a soldier for confidence or learning your limits or enduring utter humiliation.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Guy Davenport" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for-confidence-or-learning-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confidence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for-confidence-or-learning-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/guy-davenport-14485_confidence_theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for_2358031.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/guy-davenport-14485_confidence_theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for_2358031.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f08/guy-davenport-14485_confidence_theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for_2358031.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Theres nothing like being a soldier for confidence or learning your limits or enduring utter humiliation.” — Guy Davenport", "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": "Guy Davenport", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-davenport/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Theres nothing like being a soldier...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for-confidence-or-learning-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-davenport/theres-nothing-like-being-a-soldier-for-confidence-or-learning-your/#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 } } ] } ```