---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the most difficult things to do in…"
description: "\"One of the most difficult things to do in life is thinking; that's why so few people engage in it.\" — Henry Ford"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/henry-ford-492_difficult_one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-i_2318969.png"
---

#  One of the most difficult things to do in life is…

![“One of the most difficult things to do in life is thinking; that's why so few people engage in it.” quote by Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/henry-ford-492_difficult_one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-i_2318969.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/henry-ford-492_difficult_one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-i_2318969.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/henry-ford-492_difficult_one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-i_2318969.png)

> “One of the most difficult things to do in life is thinking; that's why so few people engage in it.”

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

## About This Quote

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

Thinking deeply is hard, so many avoid it, missing opportunities for growth.

**In simple terms:** Thinking is hard, so people avoid it.

Key Takeaway

Practice regular reflection despite discomfort.

Themes

self‑improvement cognition discipline

Mood

thoughtful motivational

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- education
- career planning
- personal development
- leadership

Key Concepts

critical thinking mindfulness

Questions to Reflect On

- What topics do you avoid thinking about?
- How can you make deep thinking a habit?

A Different Perspective

Complex problems require sustained mental effort.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Difficult things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-things/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Things to do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-to-do/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [It would be a terrible mistake to go through life thinking that people are the sum total of what you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/it-would-be-a-terrible-mistake-to-go-through-life-thinking-that/)

[Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/)

> [The actors make the film. They're the ones that take this theoretical movie that's in your head and make it real. The success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/the-actors-make-the-film-they-re-the-ones-that-take-this-theoretical/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [To sustain hatred is a very difficult thing to do, year after year. It's exhausting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/to-sustain-hatred-is-a-very-difficult-thing-to-do-year-after-year-it/)

[Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/)

> [If you read a part that you want to play, and you already know you have actors you want to work with but it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bruckheimer/if-you-read-a-part-that-you-want-to-play-and-you-already-know-you/)

[Jerry Bruckheimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bruckheimer/)

> [The portrait of a person is one of the most difficult things to do. It means you must almost bring the presence of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-strand/the-portrait-of-a-person-is-one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-it/)

[Paul Strand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-strand/)

> [Writin songs is like a mystery. The most difficult thing to do is have a good idea. If you have a decent idea, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/writin-songs-is-like-a-mystery-the-most-difficult-thing-to-do-is-have/)

[Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/)

> [What I learned is, we have to listen to each other, even when we don't agree, even when we think we hate each other.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/what-i-learned-is-we-have-to-listen-to-each-other-even-when-we-don-t/)

[Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/)

> [The older I get, the more I think lightness of touch is an incredibly difficult thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/the-older-i-get-the-more-i-think-lightness-of-touch-is-an-incredibly/)

[Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/)

> [. . . it is true that language and forward movement in the cinema are jolly hard to reconcile. It's a very, very, difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/it-is-true-that-language-and-forward-movement-in-the-cinema-are-jolly/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [The enterprise of describing something in language that has never been described before is a very difficult thing to do. When you decide to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gao-xingjian/the-enterprise-of-describing-something-in-language-that-has-never/)

[Gao Xingjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gao-xingjian/)

> [You know, right now, the most important thing in my life is to make sure you understand that, first of all, I thank God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-ray-vaughan/you-know-right-now-the-most-important-thing-in-my-life-is-to-make/)

[Stevie Ray Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-ray-vaughan/)

> [The thing to do with money is to put it back into yourself, into your work, into the thing that is important, into whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/the-thing-to-do-with-money-is-to-put-it-back-into-yourself-into-your/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [Maintaining marriage seems to be tougher than fatherhood: apparently its the most difficult thing in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-slater/maintaining-marriage-seems-to-be-tougher-than-fatherhood-apparently/)

[Kelly Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-slater/)

> [ \[Stéphane Mallarmé\] theory of the hermetic is a mistake, but he can be only difficult to read when he has difficult things to say. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/st-phane-mallarm-theory-of-the-hermetic-is-a-mistake-but-he-can-be/)

[Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/)

> [Do nondoing, strive for nonstriving, savor the flavorless, regard the small as important, make much of little, repay enmity with virtue; plan for difficulty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/do-nondoing-strive-for-nonstriving-savor-the-flavorless-regard-the/)

[Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/)

## More by Henry Ford

> [Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/enthusiasm-is-the-yeast-that-makes-your-hopes-shine-to-the-stars/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [These men of many nations must be taught American ways, the English language, and the right way to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/these-men-of-many-nations-must-be-taught-american-ways-the-english/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [Those who stop marketing to save money are like those who stop a clock to save time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/those-who-stop-marketing-to-save-money-are-like-those-who-stop-a/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/quality-means-doing-it-right-when-no-one-is-looking/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [A man's college and university degrees mean nothing to me until I see what he is able to do with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/a-man-s-college-and-university-degrees-mean-nothing-to-me-until-i-see/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [Don't find the fault, find the remedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/don-t-find-the-fault-find-the-remedy/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [A customer votes everyday with his dollar. Our job is make sure he votes for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/a-customer-votes-everyday-with-his-dollar-our-job-is-make-sure-he/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [Our clothing, our food, our household furnishings - all could be much simpler than they now are and at the same time be better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/our-clothing-our-food-our-household-furnishings-all-could-be-much/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [The time is coming when man will be able to determine the length of his lifespan by controlling his diet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/the-time-is-coming-when-man-will-be-able-to-determine-the-length-of/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [You can't build a reputation on what you're going to do. It's simple, fantasize, rehearse, then go out into the world and DO IT!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/you-can-t-build-a-reputation-on-what-you-re-going-to-do-it-s-simple/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [There is no man living that can not do more than he thinks he can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/there-is-no-man-living-that-can-not-do-more-than-he-thinks-he-can/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [Without doubt, Thomas Edison is my greatest contemporary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/without-doubt-thomas-edison-is-my-greatest-contemporary/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [As long as we look to legislation to cure poverty or to abolish special privilege we are going to see poverty and special privilege…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/as-long-as-we-look-to-legislation-to-cure-poverty-or-to-abolish/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

> [The time will come when man will know even what is going on in the other planets and perhaps be able to visit them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/the-time-will-come-when-man-will-know-even-what-is-going-on-in-the/)

[Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

[Explore all 517 Henry Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/)

## More Difficult quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/)

[Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/)

> [Consumers can choose organic cotton grown without pesticides, but it uses more water and requires more land than conventional crops. Organic cotton can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-schlossberg/consumers-can-choose-organic-cotton-grown-without-pesticides-but-it/)

[Tatiana Schlossberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-schlossberg/)

> [It is extremely difficult to do anything constructive, let alone deep, on daily commercial television, especially on a talk show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/it-is-extremely-difficult-to-do-anything-constructive-let-alone-deep/)

[Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/)

> [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/)

[Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/)

> [It's only a little difficult to say no. You've got to believe that the work you're doing is ultimately more useful to the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/it-s-only-a-little-difficult-to-say-no-you-ve-got-to-believe-that-the/)

[Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/)

> [How wonderful it would be, I thought, if only we could practice the teachings of the Buddha as he really taught them from his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/how-wonderful-it-would-be-i-thought-if-only-we-could-practice-the/)

[Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dzogchen-ponlop-rinpoche/)

> [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/)

[Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/)

> [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/)

[Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/)

> [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/)

[Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/)

> [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/)

[Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/)

> [Politics only makes the difficult challenge of marriage even harder, with the demands of the job and the public spotlight it casts on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mckinnon/politics-only-makes-the-difficult-challenge-of-marriage-even-harder/)

[Mark McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mckinnon/)

> [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/)

[Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/)

> [Someone else who liked what I did might turn around and say, "She's reworking and rethinking everything. She could just be making blankets now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/someone-else-who-liked-what-i-did-might-turn-around-and-say-she-s/)

[Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/)

Browse all 13,132 Difficult quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "One of the most difficult things to do in life is thinking; that's why so few people engage in it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry Ford"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-in-life-is-thinking-that-s-why/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Difficult"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-in-life-is-thinking-that-s-why/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/henry-ford-492_difficult_one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-i_2318969.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/henry-ford-492_difficult_one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-i_2318969.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b8/henry-ford-492_difficult_one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-i_2318969.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“One of the most difficult things to do in life is thinking; that's why so few people engage in it.” — Henry Ford",
                "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 Ford",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "One of the most difficult things...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-in-life-is-thinking-that-s-why/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/one-of-the-most-difficult-things-to-do-in-life-is-thinking-that-s-why/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
