--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not enough that our life is an easy…" description: "\"It is not enough that our life is an easy one. We must live on the stretch, retiring to our rest like soldiers on the eve of a battle, looking forward ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/henry-david-thoreau-20_battle_it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-eas_2274001.jpg" --- # It is not enough that our life is an easy one. We must… ![“It is not enough that our life is an easy one. We must live on the stretch, retiring to our rest like soldiers on the eve of a battle, looking forward to the strenuous sortie of the morrow.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/henry-david-thoreau-20_battle_it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-eas_2274001.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/henry-david-thoreau-20_battle_it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-eas_2274001.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/henry-david-thoreau-20_battle_it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-eas_2274001.jpg) > “It is not enough that our life is an easy one. We must live on the stretch, retiring to our rest like soldiers on the eve of a battle, looking forward to the strenuous sortie of the morrow.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life should be lived actively, like soldiers preparing for battle, not in ease. **In simple terms:** Live actively, not passively. Key Takeaway Embrace effort and anticipation daily. Themes purpose effort vigilance Mood thoughtful determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - daily routine - physical training - mental preparation - career challenges Key Concepts philosophy self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay motivated? - What does “stretch” mean to you? A Different Perspective May ignore need for rest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-struggle/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [No way of thinking or doing, however ancient, can be trusted without proof. What everybody echoes or in silence passes by as true to-day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/no-way-of-thinking-or-doing-however-ancient-can-be-trusted-without-3/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [We have built for this world a family mansion, and the next a family tomb. The best works of art are the expression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-have-built-for-this-world-a-family-mansion-and-the-next-a-family/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Who knows what beautiful and winged life, whose egg has been buried for ages under many concretic layers of woodenness in the dead dry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/who-knows-what-beautiful-and-winged-life-whose-egg-has-been-buried/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I do not know at first what it is that harms me. The men and things of to-day are wont to be fairer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-do-not-know-at-first-what-it-is-that-harms-me-the-men-and-things-of/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There is too much doing - too little being! When we begin to get strenuous, life begins to grow intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-ostenso/there-is-too-much-doing-too-little-being-when-we-begin-to-get/) [Martha Ostenso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-ostenso/) > [Traveling around the world is really strenuous for me, being in a different bed every night, flying and everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/traveling-around-the-world-is-really-strenuous-for-me-being-in-a/) [Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/) > [Let me tell you something - compared to a TV-drama production schedule, touring is not strenuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/let-me-tell-you-something-compared-to-a-tv-drama-production-schedule/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [Mummy weighed sweets and nuts so that everyone would get exactly the same amount. During the year, everything is measured roughly, but at Christmas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tove-jansson/mummy-weighed-sweets-and-nuts-so-that-everyone-would-get-exactly-the/) [Tove Jansson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tove-jansson/) > [I've done a lot of work in the gym preparing myself for what is certain to be pretty strenuous pre-season training - something I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hibberd/i-ve-done-a-lot-of-work-in-the-gym-preparing-myself-for-what-is/) James Hibberd > [No animal, according to the rules of animal-etiquette, is ever expected to do anything strenuous, or heroic, or even moderately active during the off-season…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/no-animal-according-to-the-rules-of-animal-etiquette-is-ever-expected/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [You have to believe in a placebo or it won't work, but if it works, it's obviously working in some indirect way, through feedback…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-jencks/you-have-to-believe-in-a-placebo-or-it-won-t-work-but-if-it-works-it/) [Charles Jencks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-jencks/) > [I have brought up my kids single-handedly. So a strenuous routine is something I thrive on, not shy away from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asha-bhosle/i-have-brought-up-my-kids-single-handedly-so-a-strenuous-routine-is/) [Asha Bhosle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asha-bhosle/) > [Thought is a strenuous art - few practice it, and then only at rare times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ben-gurion/thought-is-a-strenuous-art-few-practice-it-and-then-only-at-rare-times/) [David Ben-Gurion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ben-gurion/) > [If we cannot by reason, by influence, by example, by strenuous effort, and by personal sacrifice, mend the bad places of civilization, we certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/if-we-cannot-by-reason-by-influence-by-example-by-strenuous-effort/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [In the off-season my most strenuous exercise is water skiing, golf, and a little fishing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-havlicek/in-the-off-season-my-most-strenuous-exercise-is-water-skiing-golf-and/) [John Havlicek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-havlicek/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Battle quotes > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Only great and general battles can produce great results](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/only-great-and-general-battles-can-produce-great-results/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [When I step into the batters box. The fans, the noise, the cheers, they all disappear. For that moment, the world is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/when-i-step-into-the-batters-box-the-fans-the-noise-the-cheers-they/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [I knew Jimmy Dean. He tested for 'Battle Cry'. Paul Newman tested for 'Battle Cry'. I did nine tests to finally get that role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tab-hunter/i-knew-jimmy-dean-he-tested-for-battle-cry-paul-newman-tested-for/) [Tab Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tab-hunter/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Love is a battle," said Marie-Claude, still smiling. "And I plan to go on fighting. To the end." Love is a battle?" said Franz.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/love-is-a-battle-said-marie-claude-still-smiling-and-i-plan-to-go-on/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [It's almost ironic sitting here watching stories about Norm's courageous 'battle' with cancer. He actually did a bit on stage about how stupid that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-macdonald/it-s-almost-ironic-sitting-here-watching-stories-about-norm-s/) [Neil Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-macdonald/) > [“Other folk thought the Rage was simple bloodlust, a berserk savagery that neither knew nor cared what its target was, and so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/other-folk-thought-the-rage-was-simple-bloodlust-a-berserk-savagery/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-millett/the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imposition-of-male-authority/) [Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-millett/) > [For many people it's Facebook, or sports on TV, whatever it is. I have my own demons that I battle. But whatever they are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-walter/for-many-people-it-s-facebook-or-sports-on-tv-whatever-it-is-i-have/) [Jess Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-walter/) [Browse all 4,526 Battle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not enough that our life is an easy one. We must live on the stretch, retiring to our rest like soldiers on the eve of a battle, looking forward to the strenuous sortie of the morrow.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-easy-one-we-must-live-on-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Battle" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-easy-one-we-must-live-on-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/henry-david-thoreau-20_battle_it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-eas_2274001.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/henry-david-thoreau-20_battle_it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-eas_2274001.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e46/henry-david-thoreau-20_battle_it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-eas_2274001.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not enough that our life is an easy one. We must live on the stretch, retiring to our rest like…” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not enough that our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-easy-one-we-must-live-on-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-enough-that-our-life-is-an-easy-one-we-must-live-on-the/#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 } } ] } ```