---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was taught to strive not because there…"
description: "\"I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is in itself the only way to keep faith with li..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/madeleine-albright-1360_faith_i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there_2007341.jpg"
---

#  I was taught to strive not because there were any…

![“I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is in itself the only way to keep faith with life.” quote by Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/madeleine-albright-1360_faith_i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there_2007341.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/madeleine-albright-1360_faith_i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there_2007341.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/madeleine-albright-1360_faith_i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there_2007341.jpg)

> “I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is in itself the only way to keep faith with life.”

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

## About This Quote

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

Encourages striving for its own sake, not for guaranteed outcomes, as a way to stay faithful to life.

**In simple terms:** Striving itself gives purpose.

Key Takeaway

Keep striving regardless of certainty.

Themes

purpose faith resilience

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- career development
- personal growth
- creative endeavors

Key Concepts

existentialism motivation

Questions to Reflect On

- What does "faith with life" mean to you?
- How can you balance effort with realistic expectations?

A Different Perspective

Striving without success can lead to burnout.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Guarantees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guarantees/) [Keep the faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep-the-faith/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive/) [Strive Guarantees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strive-guarantees-3565915/) [Striving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/striving/) [Striving Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/striving-way-3565917/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Taught](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught/) [Taught Strive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-strive-3565916/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/)

## Related quotes

> [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/)

[Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/)

> [What keeps faith cheerful is the extreme persistence of gentleness and humor. Gentleness is everywhere in daily life, a sign that faith rules through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/what-keeps-faith-cheerful-is-the-extreme-persistence-of-gentleness/)

[Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/)

> [The Church which taught men not to keep faith with heretics, had no claim to toleration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/the-church-which-taught-men-not-to-keep-faith-with-heretics-had-no/)

[John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/)

> [Champions get up! When you’re down to nothing, God is up to something! Champions get up! Focus your mind, pull yourself together. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/les-brown/champions-get-up-when-you-re-down-to-nothing-god-is-up-to-something/)

[Les Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/les-brown/)

> [Somewhere along the line, organized religion stopped being about faith, and started being about who had the power to keep the faith. You said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/somewhere-along-the-line-organized-religion-stopped-being-about-faith/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [If after all your efforts you cannot succeed, you could not please our Lord more than by sacrificing to Him your will, and remaining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-after-all-your-efforts-you-cannot-succeed-you-could-not-please-our/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I didn't know if it would be a successful one, or what the stages would be, but I always saw myself as a lifetime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-didn-t-know-if-it-would-be-a-successful-one-or-what-the-stages/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [People are stumbling over the simplest things. Take, for instance, that word believeth. You would think that was plain enough for anybody, but all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/people-are-stumbling-over-the-simplest-things-take-for-instance-that/)

[Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/)

> [So shall we join the disciples of our Lord, keeping faith in Him in spite of the crucifixion, and making ready, by our loyalty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/so-shall-we-join-the-disciples-of-our-lord-keeping-faith-in-him-in/)

[Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/)

> [For what is faith unless it is to believe what you do not see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-what-is-faith-unless-it-is-to-believe-what-you-do-not-see/)

[Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/)

> [If you do keep the faith and continue to be radical, very bad things can and do happen to you. At the very least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/if-you-do-keep-the-faith-and-continue-to-be-radical-very-bad-things/)

[Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/)

> [I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington . . . I'm asking you to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-asking-you-to-believe-not-just-in-my-ability-to-bring-about-real/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [No matter how much you've sinned, no matter how much you've stumbled, no matter how much you fall, no matter how far you've got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/no-matter-how-much-you-ve-sinned-no-matter-how-much-you-ve-stumbled/)

[Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/)

> [Faith is the ability to see things that don't yet exist. Faith, though, can turn difficulty into reality, positive reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/faith-is-the-ability-to-see-things-that-don-t-yet-exist-faith-though/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [It doesn't matter if we were down 3-0. You've just got to keep the faith. The game is not over until the last out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ortiz/it-doesn-t-matter-if-we-were-down-3-0-you-ve-just-got-to-keep-the/)

[David Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ortiz/)

## More by Madeleine Albright

> [In 1953, the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran's popular prime minister, Mohammed Mossadegh. The Eisenhower administration believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/in-1953-the-united-states-played-a-significant-role-in-orchestrating/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [No matter how hard we might wish, we will not be able to transform China's behavior overnight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/no-matter-how-hard-we-might-wish-we-will-not-be-able-to-transform/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [There are a lot of similar aspects in all the religions. The question is which side of it you hold up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/there-are-a-lot-of-similar-aspects-in-all-the-religions-the-question/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [Whatever the job you are asked to do at whatever level, do a good job because your reputation is your resume.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/whatever-the-job-you-are-asked-to-do-at-whatever-level-do-a-good-job/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [I am often asked if, when I was secretary, I had problems with foreign men. That is not who I had problems with, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-am-often-asked-if-when-i-was-secretary-i-had-problems-with-foreign/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [Every new president inherits headaches, but President Obama has inherited an entire emergency room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/every-new-president-inherits-headaches-but-president-obama-has/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [I am by nature a worried optimist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-am-by-nature-a-worried-optimist/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [If there's nobody in your way, you're not going anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/if-there-s-nobody-in-your-way-you-re-not-going-anywhere/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [I can't imagine what it is like to be raised in a society where their only statues that exist are to you and your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-can-t-imagine-what-it-is-like-to-be-raised-in-a-society-where-their/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [I bought ... the pins with my three daughters in mind; the ships are beautiful, graceful, and moving along at full sail, having long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-bought-the-pins-with-my-three-daughters-in-mind-the-ships-are/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [“I also think it is important for women to help one another. I have a saying: There is a special place in hell for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-also-think-it-is-important-for-women-to-help-one-another-i-have-a/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [The capability of negotiating... is something that means you not only have to understand fully what you believe and what your national interests are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/the-capability-of-negotiating-is-something-that-means-you-not-only/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [I know that war is very cruel and that life is harder when you aren't able to live in the place you called home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-know-that-war-is-very-cruel-and-that-life-is-harder-when-you-aren-t/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [Women are more than 50% of almost every country in the world. Countries rob themselves of the resources of women if they keep them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/women-are-more-than-50-of-almost-every-country-in-the-world-countries/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

> [What you have to be concerned about are the extremists. On the whole, we need to understand the more moderate Muslims before they become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/what-you-have-to-be-concerned-about-are-the-extremists-on-the-whole/)

[Madeleine Albright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

[Explore all 248 Madeleine Albright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/)

## More Faith quotes

> [“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/)

> [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/)

[St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/)

> [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/)

[Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/)

> [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/)

[Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/)

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

> [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/)

[Matt Morris (1](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-morris-1/)

> [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/)

[Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/)

> [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/)

[Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/)

> [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/)

[Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/)

[Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is in itself the only way to keep faith with life.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Madeleine Albright"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there-were-any-guarantees-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Faith"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there-were-any-guarantees-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/madeleine-albright-1360_faith_i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there_2007341.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/madeleine-albright-1360_faith_i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there_2007341.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/madeleine-albright-1360_faith_i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there_2007341.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I was taught to strive not because there were any guarantees of success but because the act of striving is…” — Madeleine Albright",
                "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": "Madeleine Albright",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-albright/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I was taught to strive not...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there-were-any-guarantees-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-albright/i-was-taught-to-strive-not-because-there-were-any-guarantees-of/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
