--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The struggles don't define you. It's how…" description: "\"The struggles don't define you. It's how you handle them that determines who you are.\" — Jon Jones" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/jon-jones-1595_adversity_the-struggles-don-t-define-you-it-s-how_1003427.jpg" --- # The struggles don't define you. It's how you handle them… ![“The struggles don't define you. It's how you handle them that determines who you are.” quote by Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/jon-jones-1595_adversity_the-struggles-don-t-define-you-it-s-how_1003427.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/jon-jones-1595_adversity_the-struggles-don-t-define-you-it-s-how_1003427.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5b/jon-jones-1595_adversity_the-struggles-don-t-define-you-it-s-how_1003427.jpg) > “The struggles don't define you. It's how you handle them that determines who you are.” [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement asserts that personal identity is shaped not by hardships themselves but by one’s response to them, highlighting agency and resilience. **In simple terms:** Your response to struggles defines you, not the struggles. Key Takeaway Focus on how you react to challenges. Themes self‑growth resilience agency identity mindset Mood reflective encouraging Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal setbacks - mental health challenges - career obstacles Key Concepts psychology of coping personal development adversity response Questions to Reflect On - How do you choose your reaction? - What support helps you respond positively? A Different Perspective Responses may be limited by external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Define](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define/) [Define Handle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/define-handle-2132477/) [Handle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handle/) [Handle Determines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/handle-determines-2132476/) [How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how/) [Struggles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggles/) [Struggles Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggles-don-2132475/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [Let people see your struggles and don't ever fake it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/let-people-see-your-struggles-and-don-t-ever-fake-it/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [If you weren't around during my struggles, I don't expect to see during my success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ms-paradeez/if-you-weren-t-around-during-my-struggles-i-don-t-expect-to-see/) [Ms Paradeez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ms-paradeez/) > [Remember the good times, be strong during the difficult times love always, laugh often, and thank God every day. God-given struggles don't come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola/remember-the-good-times-be-strong-during-the-difficult-times-love-2/) [Kemmy Nola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemmy-nola/) > [It’s not the struggles that define you; it’s how you overcome them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-glanville/it-s-not-the-struggles-that-define-you-it-s-how-you-overcome-them/) [Brandi Glanville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-glanville/) > [“Dont ask what the meaning of life is. You define it!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishah-madadiy/dont-ask-what-the-meaning-of-life-is-you-define-it/) [Aishah Madadiy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishah-madadiy/) > [Define yourself. Never give anyone any chance to define you by their definitions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/define-yourself-never-give-anyone-any-chance-to-define-you-by-their/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Your words, your schedule, your choices, your obedience, the way you savor your victories and the way you swallow your defeats all help to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kimmel/your-words-your-schedule-your-choices-your-obedience-the-way-you/) [Tim Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kimmel/) > [I think in some ways we have allowed other people to set the agenda. Other people to define who we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-scott/i-think-in-some-ways-we-have-allowed-other-people-to-set-the-agenda/) [Lee Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-scott/) > [To define the era we live in is very difficult. How do we define it? We define it by music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatella-versace/to-define-the-era-we-live-in-is-very-difficult-how-do-we-define-it-we/) [Donatella Versace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donatella-versace/) > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [If I had to define my philosophy, it would be about exploration, a journey, a story-telling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hussein-chalayan/if-i-had-to-define-my-philosophy-it-would-be-about-exploration-a/) [Hussein Chalayan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hussein-chalayan/) > [I find it hard to define myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-fernandes/i-find-it-hard-to-define-myself/) [Bruno Fernandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-fernandes/) > [Well, I don't know how they define that. But they have this Texas blues thing blown kinda out of proportion. I am a Long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hunter/well-i-don-t-know-how-they-define-that-but-they-have-this-texas-blues/) [John Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hunter/) > [I don't want my title to define my character. I don't think, as a president, I will change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weah/i-don-t-want-my-title-to-define-my-character-i-don-t-think-as-a/) [George Weah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weah/) > [Don't define the game by the list of the features. Define it by the experience you want to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-howard/don-t-define-the-game-by-the-list-of-the-features-define-it-by-the/) [Todd Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-howard/) ## More by Jon Jones > [College, for me, was more about wrestling than actually going to classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/college-for-me-was-more-about-wrestling-than-actually-going-to-classes/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [I'm crazy enough to believe that maybe I'll never lose a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/i-m-crazy-enough-to-believe-that-maybe-i-ll-never-lose-a-fight/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [I've come to expect more out of myself - as a citizen, as a man, as an athlete - to reach a better place,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/i-ve-come-to-expect-more-out-of-myself-as-a-citizen-as-a-man-as-an/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [Thank you for helping me solve this problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/thank-you-for-helping-me-solve-this-problem/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [I would love to fight Brock Lesnar. He's a massive dude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/i-would-love-to-fight-brock-lesnar-he-s-a-massive-dude/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [It's not my business what other people think of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/it-s-not-my-business-what-other-people-think-of-me/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [Wake up this morning knowing that the possibility for love is closer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/wake-up-this-morning-knowing-that-the-possibility-for-love-is-closer/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [A champion without his belt is like a knight without his sword. I've got to have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/a-champion-without-his-belt-is-like-a-knight-without-his-sword-i-ve/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [Most customer service people are great. It's that one customer service person from hell that drives me crazy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/most-customer-service-people-are-great-it-s-that-one-customer-service/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [As lonely and sad as I am today, your return will cause a new birth in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/as-lonely-and-sad-as-i-am-today-your-return-will-cause-a-new-birth-in/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [There's never been a southpaw fighter to make it five rounds with me. These are championship fights, and most of them can't even make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/there-s-never-been-a-southpaw-fighter-to-make-it-five-rounds-with-me/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [Success is more a part of who you are, than anything outside of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/success-is-more-a-part-of-who-you-are-than-anything-outside-of-you/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [This customer service person doesn't understand that this bill was paid and I am not going to pay it again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/this-customer-service-person-doesn-t-understand-that-this-bill-was/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [I've always been a guy that has strived for dominating, not only winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/i-ve-always-been-a-guy-that-has-strived-for-dominating-not-only/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) > [I believe I have the attitude of a champion and a winner, and I'm not apologetic for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-jones/i-believe-i-have-the-attitude-of-a-champion-and-a-winner-and-i-m-not/) [Jon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) [Explore all 224 Jon Jones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-jones/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) [James Buckham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckham-kennedy/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) [S.E. SEVER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-sever/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The struggles don't define you. 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