--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hope is not a resting place but a…" description: "\"Hope is not a resting place but a starting point - a cactus, not a cushion\" — H. Jackson Brown, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_cactus_hope-is-not-a-resting-place-but-a-starti_3038227.png" --- # Hope is not a resting place but a starting point - a… ![“Hope is not a resting place but a starting point - a cactus, not a cushion” quote by H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_cactus_hope-is-not-a-resting-place-but-a-starti_3038227.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_cactus_hope-is-not-a-resting-place-but-a-starti_3038227.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04e/h-jackson-brown-jr-1456_cactus_hope-is-not-a-resting-place-but-a-starti_3038227.png) > “Hope is not a resting place but a starting point - a cactus, not a cushion” [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hope should be an active catalyst, not a passive comfort, propelling you forward. **In simple terms:** Hope fuels action, not just comfort. Key Takeaway Use hope as a launchpad. Themes motivation resilience growth mindset Mood optimistic encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - goal planning - personal challenges - career transitions Key Concepts psychology of hope goal setting self‑efficacy Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn hope into concrete steps? - What actions will you take to move forward? A Different Perspective Hope alone without effort yields stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cactus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cactus/) [Cactus Cushion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cactus-cushion-4994479/) [Cushion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cushion/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Hope Resting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope-resting-4994478/) [Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/place/) [Point Cactus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point-cactus-4994480/) [Resting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resting/) [Starting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting/) [Starting point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/starting-point/) ## Related quotes > [The bigger the cushion, the better the pushin'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/the-bigger-the-cushion-the-better-the-pushin/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [Equity is the cushion that protects financial institutions from unexpected changes in the value of their assets. The greater the leverage, the smaller the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/equity-is-the-cushion-that-protects-financial-institutions-from/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [“I'm caught, he thought, between a cushion and a soft place”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-rankin/i-m-caught-he-thought-between-a-cushion-and-a-soft-place/) [Ian Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-rankin/) > [Them as ha' never had a cushion don't miss it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/them-as-ha-never-had-a-cushion-don-t-miss-it/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [In the bed of suspicion, no cushion can make a man to sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-the-bed-of-suspicion-no-cushion-can-make-a-man-to-sleep/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I can't miss an episode of 'The Apprentice'. It is car-crash T.V. Sometimes I find myself hiding behind a cushion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-pearson/i-can-t-miss-an-episode-of-the-apprentice-it-is-car-crash-t-v/) [April Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-pearson/) > [Indolence is the devil's cushion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/indolence-is-the-devil-s-cushion/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Sometimes I feel like a human pin cushion. Every painful emotion hits me with ridiculously exaggerated force. And the anxiety feels like hands inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/sometimes-i-feel-like-a-human-pin-cushion-every-painful-emotion-hits/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [Wisdom cannot prevent a fall, but may cushion it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/wisdom-cannot-prevent-a-fall-but-may-cushion-it/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Music is the softest cushion in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-de-saint-phalle/music-is-the-softest-cushion-in-the-world/) [Niki de Saint Phalle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-de-saint-phalle/) > [Diplomats willing to sit for an interview usually prefer the terra firma of CNN over the whoopee cushion of Comedy Central.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-bleyer/diplomats-willing-to-sit-for-an-interview-usually-prefer-the-terra/) [Kevin Bleyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-bleyer/) > [I read the Koran and it appealed to me. At the time I was agnostic and it really breathed spiritually back into me. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/q-tip/i-read-the-koran-and-it-appealed-to-me-at-the-time-i-was-agnostic-and/) [Q-Tip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/q-tip/) > [Life is a whoopee cushion, a chair pulled away just as you were taking a seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/life-is-a-whoopee-cushion-a-chair-pulled-away-just-as-you-were-taking/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [“frog. It was this spongelike rubber cushion that absorbed the first terrific shock of a thousand-pound horse galloping over a hard surface at high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-farley/frog-it-was-this-spongelike-rubber-cushion-that-absorbed-the-first/) [Walter Farley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-farley/) > [A guest is a jewel on the cushion of hospitality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rex-stout/a-guest-is-a-jewel-on-the-cushion-of-hospitality/) [Rex Stout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rex-stout/) ## More by H. Jackson Brown, Jr > [Hire people more for their judgment than for their talents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/hire-people-more-for-their-judgment-than-for-their-talents/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [We're constantly striving for success, fame and comfort when all we really need to be happy is someone or some thing to be enthusiastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/we-re-constantly-striving-for-success-fame-and-comfort-when-all-we/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Develop a sense of urgency in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/develop-a-sense-of-urgency-in-your-life/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Give children toys that are powered by their imagination, not by batteries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/give-children-toys-that-are-powered-by-their-imagination-not-by/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Dont say you dont have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/dont-say-you-dont-have-enough-time-you-have-exactly-the-same-number/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Put a love note in his shaving kit before he leaves on a business trip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/put-a-love-note-in-his-shaving-kit-before-he-leaves-on-a-business-trip/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Always have something beautiful in sight, even if it's just a daisy in a jelly glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/always-have-something-beautiful-in-sight-even-if-it-s-just-a-daisy-in/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [You can get by on charm for about 15 minutes. After that, you better know something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/you-can-get-by-on-charm-for-about-15-minutes-after-that-you-better/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Spend your time and energy creating, not criticizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/spend-your-time-and-energy-creating-not-criticizing/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Oh, the difference between nearly right and exactly right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/oh-the-difference-between-nearly-right-and-exactly-right/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Become the world's most thoughtful friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/become-the-world-s-most-thoughtful-friend/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Remember that almost everything looks better after a good night's sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-almost-everything-looks-better-after-a-good-night-s/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Mature love is composed and sustaining; a celebration of commitment, companionship, and trust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/mature-love-is-composed-and-sustaining-a-celebration-of-commitment/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Remember that creating a successful marriage is like farming: you have to start over again every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/remember-that-creating-a-successful-marriage-is-like-farming-you-have/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/be-modest-a-lot-was-accomplished-before-you-were-born/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) [Explore all 239 H. Jackson Brown, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) ## More Cactus quotes > [There was a product on late night TV that you could attach to your garden hose - "You can water your hard-to-reach plants with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/there-was-a-product-on-late-night-tv-that-you-could-attach-to-your/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [“The cactus thrives in the desert while the fern thrives in the wetland. The fool will try to plant them in the same flowerbox.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/the-cactus-thrives-in-the-desert-while-the-fern-thrives-in-the/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [I had forgotten that talking to you is like trying to pet a cactus." Saiman said dryly. "Thank you for reminding me." "Always happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/i-had-forgotten-that-talking-to-you-is-like-trying-to-pet-a-cactus/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [The one thing that seems to be consistent through all my work that I like, and I experimented a lot, is the viewer is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-misrach/the-one-thing-that-seems-to-be-consistent-through-all-my-work-that-i/) [Richard Misrach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-misrach/) > [“What a surprise. That boy doesn't have the sense God gave a cactus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-peacock/what-a-surprise-that-boy-doesn-t-have-the-sense-god-gave-a-cactus/) [Kathleen Peacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-peacock/) > [Texas is a hell hole, man. Dirt, cactus, lizards, dirt, cactus, the Bush family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/texas-is-a-hell-hole-man-dirt-cactus-lizards-dirt-cactus-the-bush/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [I bought a cactus. A week later it died. And I got depressed, because I thought, Damn. I am less nurturing than a desert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-bought-a-cactus-a-week-later-it-died-and-i-got-depressed-because-i/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [John flung himself into a pseudo-karate stance, one hand poised behind him and one in front, posed like a cartoon cactus. I thought for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/john-flung-himself-into-a-pseudo-karate-stance-one-hand-poised-behind/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Key West is the place where your sickly house plant back in New York grows to 10 ft. It's also the place where an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/key-west-is-the-place-where-your-sickly-house-plant-back-in-new-york/) [Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/) > [She was elusive. She was today. She was tomorrow. She was the faintest scent of a cactus flower, the flitting shadow of an elf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/she-was-elusive-she-was-today-she-was-tomorrow-she-was-the-faintest/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [“Well what I was going to say was that it reminds me of us because a cactus can grow and thrive without a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-bloom/well-what-i-was-going-to-say-was-that-it-reminds-me-of-us-because-a/) [Rebecca Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-bloom/) > [The desert seems to be a brown wasteland of dry, prickly scrub whose only purpose is to serve as a setting for the majestic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/the-desert-seems-to-be-a-brown-wasteland-of-dry-prickly-scrub-whose/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [I'm always very interested in breeding. Raising cacti is breeding. My lotus plant collection is breeding. The insects are breeding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takashi-murakami/i-m-always-very-interested-in-breeding-raising-cacti-is-breeding-my/) [Takashi Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takashi-murakami/) > [“So I came down here, to breathe dust and walk with the dogs-- to look at a rock or a cactus and know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/so-i-came-down-here-to-breathe-dust-and-walk-with-the-dogs-to-look-at/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [I remember very clearly someone saying, 'Don't shake hands with the cactus,' and I thought, 'Well, why not? What could possibly go wrong?' Shaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/i-remember-very-clearly-someone-saying-don-t-shake-hands-with-the/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) [Browse all 96 Cactus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cactus/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hope is not a resting place but a starting point - a cactus, not a cushion", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "H. 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