--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Experience is a grindstone; and it is…" description: "\"Experience is a grindstone; and it is lucky for us, if we can get brightened by it, and not ground.\" — Josh Billings" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/josh-billings-777_experience_experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-luc_742153.png" --- # Experience is a grindstone; and it is lucky for us, if we… ![“Experience is a grindstone; and it is lucky for us, if we can get brightened by it, and not ground.” quote by Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/josh-billings-777_experience_experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-luc_742153.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/josh-billings-777_experience_experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-luc_742153.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/josh-billings-777_experience_experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-luc_742153.png) > “Experience is a grindstone; and it is lucky for us, if we can get brightened by it, and not ground.” [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) ## 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 challenges can sharpen us if we let them illuminate rather than wear us down. **In simple terms:** Challenges can teach, not just hurt. Key Takeaway Seek growth through hardship. Themes resilience learning optimism Mood reflective encouraging Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career setbacks - academic struggles - relationship conflicts - health issues Key Concepts hardship personal development mindset Questions to Reflect On - What lessons have you extracted from a recent difficulty? - How can you protect yourself from being worn down? A Different Perspective Some hardships may be overwhelming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brightened Ground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brightened-ground-5792276/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Experience Grindstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience-grindstone-5792277/) [Grindstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grindstone/) [Grindstone Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grindstone-lucky-5792275/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Lucky Brightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky-brightened-5792274/) ## Related quotes > [Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds a man down or polishes him up depends on the stuff he's made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/life-is-a-grindstone-and-whether-it-grinds-a-man-down-or-polishes-him/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [I'm just having fun making jokes and writing books. But you see me once a year, I come on when I have a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-c-boyle/i-m-just-having-fun-making-jokes-and-writing-books-but-you-see-me/) [T.C. Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-c-boyle/) > [Life really is like a grindstone, in that it will either grind you down or polish you up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/life-really-is-like-a-grindstone-in-that-it-will-either-grind-you/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [The world is a grindstone and life is your nose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-allen/the-world-is-a-grindstone-and-life-is-your-nose/) [Fred Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-allen/) > [We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-kept-keen-on-the-grindstone-of-pain-and-necessity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on you. —L. Thomas Holdcroft”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-l-abernethy/life-is-a-grindstone-whether-it-grinds-you-down-or-polishes-you-up/) [Kim L. Abernethy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-l-abernethy/) > [“The Grindstone III. The Shadow IV. Calm in Storm V. The Wood-Sawyer”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-grindstone-iii-the-shadow-iv-calm-in-storm-v-the-wood-sawyer/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds us down or polishes us up depends on us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-holcroft/life-is-a-grindstone-whether-it-grinds-us-down-or-polishes-us-up/) [Thomas Holcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-holcroft/) > [Opinions, theories, and systems pass by turns over the grindstone of time, which at first gives them brilliancy and sharpness, but finally wears them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-rivarol/opinions-theories-and-systems-pass-by-turns-over-the-grindstone-of/) [Antoine Rivarol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-rivarol/) > [It's almost comical that astronauts are stereotyped as daredevils and cowboys. As a rule, we're highly methodical and detail-oriented. Our passion isn't for thrills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hadfield/it-s-almost-comical-that-astronauts-are-stereotyped-as-daredevils-and/) [Chris Hadfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hadfield/) > [We encounter the grinding wheels that sharpen our mental blades many places in life. Adversity, school, parents, spiritual guides, books, experience are all sharpening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kall/we-encounter-the-grinding-wheels-that-sharpen-our-mental-blades-many/) [Rob Kall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kall/) > [So much for industry, my friends, and attention to one's own business; but to these we must add frugality if we would make our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/so-much-for-industry-my-friends-and-attention-to-one-s-own-business/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you don’t have any nose,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-wexner/if-you-keep-your-nose-to-the-grindstone-you-don-t-have-any-nose/) [Les Wexner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-wexner/) > [The faith that anyone could move from rags to riches - with enough guts and gumption, hard work and nose to the grindstone -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/the-faith-that-anyone-could-move-from-rags-to-riches-with-enough-guts/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [A dull ax never loves grindstones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-dull-ax-never-loves-grindstones/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) ## More by Josh Billings > [It ain't because lovers are so sensitive that they quarrel so often; it is because there is so much fun n the making up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-because-lovers-are-so-sensitive-that-they-quarrel-so-often/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [There is only one good substitute for the endearments of a sister, and that is the endearments of some other fellow's sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/there-is-only-one-good-substitute-for-the-endearments-of-a-sister-and/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds a man down or polishes him up depends on the stuff he's made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/life-is-a-grindstone-and-whether-it-grinds-a-man-down-or-polishes-him/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Its harly my dog A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/its-harly-my-dog-a-dog-is-the-only-thing-on-earth-that-loves-you-more/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Perseverance is king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/perseverance-is-king/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Unless we put heart and soul into our labor we but brutify our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/unless-we-put-heart-and-soul-into-our-labor-we-but-brutify-our-actions/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [A secret ceases to be a secret if it is once confided - it is like a dollar bill, once broken, it is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/a-secret-ceases-to-be-a-secret-if-it-is-once-confided-it-is-like-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [If a man is right, he can't be too radical; if he is wrong, he can't be too conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/if-a-man-is-right-he-can-t-be-too-radical-if-he-is-wrong-he-can-t-be/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [As a general rule, if you want to get at the truth - hear both sides and believe neither.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/as-a-general-rule-if-you-want-to-get-at-the-truth-hear-both-sides-and/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Economy is a savings-bank, into which men drop pennies, and get dollars in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/economy-is-a-savings-bank-into-which-men-drop-pennies-and-get-dollars/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Self-made men are most always apt to be a little too proud of the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/self-made-men-are-most-always-apt-to-be-a-little-too-proud-of-the-job/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Poverty is one of them kind of misfortunes that we all of us dread but none of us pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/poverty-is-one-of-them-kind-of-misfortunes-that-we-all-of-us-dread/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [If the world despises a hypocrite, what must they think of him in heaven?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/if-the-world-despises-a-hypocrite-what-must-they-think-of-him-in/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [The man who gets bit twice by the same dog is better adapted for that kind of business than any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-man-who-gets-bit-twice-by-the-same-dog-is-better-adapted-for-that/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) [Explore all 372 Josh Billings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) [Michael Bugeja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bugeja/) > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Experience is a grindstone; and it is lucky for us, if we can get brightened by it, and not ground.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josh Billings" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-lucky-for-us-if-we-can-get/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experience" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-lucky-for-us-if-we-can-get/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/josh-billings-777_experience_experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-luc_742153.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/josh-billings-777_experience_experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-luc_742153.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d93/josh-billings-777_experience_experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-luc_742153.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Experience is a grindstone; and it is lucky for us, if we can get brightened by it, and not ground.” — Josh Billings", "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": "Josh Billings", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Experience is a grindstone; and it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-lucky-for-us-if-we-can-get/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/experience-is-a-grindstone-and-it-is-lucky-for-us-if-we-can-get/#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 } } ] } ```