--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's just that it's hard to believe in…" description: "\"It's just that it's hard to believe in greatness...\" — James Salter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/james-salter-2584_believe_it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-g_1736656.jpg" --- # It's just that it's hard to believe in greatness... ![“It's just that it's hard to believe in greatness...” quote by James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/james-salter-2584_believe_it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-g_1736656.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/james-salter-2584_believe_it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-g_1736656.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/james-salter-2584_believe_it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-g_1736656.jpg) > “It's just that it's hard to believe in greatness...” [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Greatness feels elusive and hard to accept, creating doubt about achieving it. **In simple terms:** Greatness is hard to believe in. Key Takeaway Accept uncertainty while pursuing excellence. Themes self‑doubt ambition greatness Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career advancement - creative projects - personal goals - leadership Key Concepts psychology belief motivation Questions to Reflect On - What does greatness mean to you? - How can you stay motivated despite doubt? A Different Perspective Greatness may be defined subjectively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) ## Related quotes > [It's hard to believe sometimes that I am the world record holder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armand-duplantis/it-s-hard-to-believe-sometimes-that-i-am-the-world-record-holder/) [Armand Duplantis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armand-duplantis/) > [“It's hard to believe that something that seems so permanent was once so different”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/it-s-hard-to-believe-that-something-that-seems-so-permanent-was-once/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [Its hard to believe that the person who love and care for others is the most lonely person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/its-hard-to-believe-that-the-person-who-love-and-care-for-others-is/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Baby your all I want, when you're laying here in my arms, I'm finding it hard to believe, we're in heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/baby-your-all-i-want-when-you-re-laying-here-in-my-arms-i-m-finding/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [What one heart finds hard to believe, a hundred find easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-willard/what-one-heart-finds-hard-to-believe-a-hundred-find-easy/) [Nancy Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-willard/) > [It's hard to believe that you're really here, so I just pretend that you're not here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-brickell/it-s-hard-to-believe-that-you-re-really-here-so-i-just-pretend-that/) [Edie Brickell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-brickell/) > [I was born in the USA, which many people still find hard to believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/i-was-born-in-the-usa-which-many-people-still-find-hard-to-believe/) [Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/) > [Yes, in fact, it's hard to believe this, but it was almost 18 years ago when I first got the idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/yes-in-fact-it-s-hard-to-believe-this-but-it-was-almost-18-years-ago/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [“People believe what they want to believe, lad. It’s very hard to believe in anything that will make you unhappy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-duncan/people-believe-what-they-want-to-believe-lad-it-s-very-hard-to/) [Dave Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-duncan/) > [If you're going to be unreligious, it's likely going to be due to reflecting on it and finding some things that are hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/if-you-re-going-to-be-unreligious-it-s-likely-going-to-be-due-to/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [Realest nigga out, it ain't hard to believe me. Thats why all the people that you know try they hardest to be me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/realest-nigga-out-it-ain-t-hard-to-believe-me-thats-why-all-the/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [“to somebody. 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Life is hard to believe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/if-you-stumble-over-mere-believability-what-are-you-living-for-love/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [“Sometimes it's hard to believe what we are really.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riyadh-razzaq/sometimes-it-s-hard-to-believe-what-we-are-really/) Riyadh Razzaq ## More by James Salter > [It seems to me that literature is giving way a little bit to the immediacy of other diversions, other forms of entertainment. What will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/it-seems-to-me-that-literature-is-giving-way-a-little-bit-to-the/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Women fall in love when they get to know you. Men are just the opposite. When they finally know you they're ready to leave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/women-fall-in-love-when-they-get-to-know-you-men-are-just-the/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [Not necessarily narrow so much as impatient, intense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/not-necessarily-narrow-so-much-as-impatient-intense/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [I write in longhand. I am accustomed to that proximity, that feel of writing. Then I sit down and type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/i-write-in-longhand-i-am-accustomed-to-that-proximity-that-feel-of/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [A writer writes a book. People read it. You don't know what they're reading, really. 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His clothes are strewn about. The shutters are closed. He never dreams. He’s like a dead musician, like a spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/dean-is-still-asleep-his-clothes-are-strewn-about-the-shutters-are/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [The dreams are the skeleton of all reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/the-dreams-are-the-skeleton-of-all-reality/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) > [There came a time when I felt I was not going to be satisfied with life unless I could write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/there-came-a-time-when-i-felt-i-was-not-going-to-be-satisfied-with/) [James Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) [Explore all 156 James Salter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. 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He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's just that it's hard to believe in greatness...", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Salter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-greatness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-greatness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/james-salter-2584_believe_it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-g_1736656.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/james-salter-2584_believe_it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-g_1736656.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/314/james-salter-2584_believe_it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-g_1736656.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's just that it's hard to believe in greatness...” — James Salter", "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": "James Salter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-salter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's just that it's hard to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-greatness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-salter/it-s-just-that-it-s-hard-to-believe-in-greatness/#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 } } ] } ```