---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That was the thing about the world: it…"
description: "\"That was the thing about the world: it wasn't that things wereharder than you thought they were going to be, it was that they were hard in ways that yo..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c45/hemantsmarty-1839_expectations_that-was-the-thing-about-the-world-it-wa_2982754.jpg"
---

#  That was the thing about the world: it wasn't that things…

![“That was the thing about the world: it wasn't that things wereharder than you thought they were going to be, it was that they were hard in ways that you didn't expect.” quote by Hemantsmarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c45/hemantsmarty-1839_expectations_that-was-the-thing-about-the-world-it-wa_2982754.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c45/hemantsmarty-1839_expectations_that-was-the-thing-about-the-world-it-wa_2982754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c45/hemantsmarty-1839_expectations_that-was-the-thing-about-the-world-it-wa_2982754.jpg)

> “That was the thing about the world: it wasn't that things wereharder than you thought they were going to be, it was that they were hard in ways that you didn't expect.”

Hemantsmarty

This quote is also attributed to [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) in other sources. Attributions for famous quotes are often disputed.

## About This Quote

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

Life’s difficulty often comes from unexpected challenges, not just obvious obstacles.

**In simple terms:** Hardship can be surprising.

Key Takeaway

Prepare for the unexpected.

Themes

resilience expectation growth uncertainty

Mood

thoughtful inspirational

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- career planning
- personal development
- risk assessment
- problem solving

Key Concepts

adaptive thinking mental flexibility

Questions to Reflect On

- What unexpected challenges have you faced?
- How can you build adaptability?

A Different Perspective

The quote may oversimplify complex systemic issues.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/)

## Related quotes

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> [“the world wasn't made for us, we were made for the world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/the-world-wasn-t-made-for-us-we-were-made-for-the-world/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [that while the world wasn't built for humans, we were built for the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/that-while-the-world-wasn-t-built-for-humans-we-were-built-for-the/)

[John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/)

> [The world wasn't a more tolerant place when I was a young man. Rather, they simply sidestepped all the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/the-world-wasn-t-a-more-tolerant-place-when-i-was-a-young-man-rather/)

[William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/)

> [The television reports gave me my first inkling of a world beyond my own, a world that wasn't fair or equal, a world of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissie-wellington/the-television-reports-gave-me-my-first-inkling-of-a-world-beyond-my/)

[Chrissie Wellington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissie-wellington/)

> [He was saying that the end of the world wasn't an accident; it was a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-black/he-was-saying-that-the-end-of-the-world-wasn-t-an-accident-it-was-a/)

[Holly Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-black/)

> [She'd stood by that creed. No softness, because the world wasn't soft; lots of laughter, because if you were in on the joke, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-brockway/she-d-stood-by-that-creed-no-softness-because-the-world-wasn-t-soft/)

[Connie Brockway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-brockway/)

> [“What would I fight for in this world if I wasn’t fighting for her?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/what-would-i-fight-for-in-this-world-if-i-wasn-t-fighting-for-her/)

[Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/)

> [“The world wasn't built in a day. It took a long time to get this far and it still isn't finished. It never will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-world-wasn-t-built-in-a-day-it-took-a-long-time-to-get-this-far/)

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

> [A lot of bad stuff in the world wasn’t really that bad until someone tried to change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/a-lot-of-bad-stuff-in-the-world-wasn-t-really-that-bad-until-someone/)

[Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/)

## More by Hemantsmarty

> [Everyone is in pain.No matter where they come from or what u think of them. Sorrow spares no one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/everyone-is-in-pain-no-matter-where-they-come-from-or-what-u-think-of/)

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> [The person we crave most to be with are the one who destroy us quickest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/the-person-we-crave-most-to-be-with-are-the-one-who-destroy-us/)

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> [I knew I was having a panic attack. I hadn't had one in a while, though, and I'd forgotton how it makes me feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/i-knew-i-was-having-a-panic-attack-i-hadn-t-had-one-in-a-while-though/)

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> [U are every part of me & with every breathe I take, ur love will light my way & for everyday live, the promise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/u-are-every-part-of-me-with-every-breathe-i-take-ur-love-will-light/)

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> [Ometimes it feels nice to know .. that in this world of strangers .. u belong to someone,i belong to u my baby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemantsmarty/ometimes-it-feels-nice-to-know-that-in-this-world-of-strangers-u/)

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Explore all 202 Hemantsmarty quotes

## More Expectations quotes

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[Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-young/)

> [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/)

[Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/)

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[Naomi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi/)

> [I recognize I am essentially a failed human being in the sense that I can't possibly live up to the expectations of an Almighty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-recognize-i-am-essentially-a-failed-human-being-in-the-sense-that-i/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

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[Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/)

> [“Does your reality match your expectations? If not it's time to change either your expectations or your reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/does-your-reality-match-your-expectations-if-not-it-s-time-to-change/)

[Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/)

> [Jesus' kingdom was not like the popular expectation. He used the phrase 'kingdom of God' with a different meaning. His kingdom was not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harpur/jesus-kingdom-was-not-like-the-popular-expectation-he-used-the-phrase/)

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[Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/)

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[Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/)

[Browse all 4,210 Expectations quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/)

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