--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When people start believing that progress…" description: "\"“When people start believing that progress is inevitable and life easy, they may quickly lose courage and determination in the face of the first signs ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_courage_when-people-start-believing-that-progres_2079331.jpg" --- # When people start believing that progress is inevitable… ![“When people start believing that progress is inevitable and life easy, they may quickly lose courage and determination in the face of the first signs of adversity.” quote by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_courage_when-people-start-believing-that-progres_2079331.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_courage_when-people-start-believing-that-progres_2079331.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_courage_when-people-start-believing-that-progres_2079331.jpg) > ““When people start believing that progress is inevitable and life easy, they may quickly lose courage and determination in the face of the first signs of adversity.”” [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Assuming progress is guaranteed can breed complacency, making people lose resolve when challenges appear. **In simple terms:** Overconfidence can erode resilience. Key Takeaway Maintain humility and prepare for setbacks. Themes mindset resilience expectation Mood cautious optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - startup ventures - academic research Key Concepts growth mindset risk of complacency psychology of motivation Questions to Reflect On - What strategies guard against complacency? - How do you sustain determination? A Different Perspective Optimism without preparation may backfire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Believing Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-progress-372536/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage and determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-and-determination/) [Lose Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lose-courage-324931/) [Progress Inevitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress-inevitable-1971955/) [Signs Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signs-adversity-4053232/) [Start believing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/start-believing/) ## Related quotes > [Courage is inner power to make you fight for your very existence and trying, when you know you may lose. Courage and determination makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anil-sinha/courage-is-inner-power-to-make-you-fight-for-your-very-existence-and/) [Anil Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anil-sinha/) > [It is possible to believe in progress as a fact without believing in progress as an ethical principle; but in the catechism of many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-wiener/it-is-possible-to-believe-in-progress-as-a-fact-without-believing-in/) [Norbert Wiener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-wiener/) > [We have stopped believing in progress. What progress that is !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/we-have-stopped-believing-in-progress-what-progress-that-is/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [Believing in progress does not mean believing that any progress has yet been made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/believing-in-progress-does-not-mean-believing-that-any-progress-has/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Surely death acquires a new and deeper significance when we regard it no longer as a single and unexplained break in an unending life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-e-mctaggart/surely-death-acquires-a-new-and-deeper-significance-when-we-regard-it/) [J. M. E. McTaggart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-e-mctaggart/) > [To the exponents of the Perennial Philosophy, the question whether Progress is inevitable or even real is not a matter of primary importance. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/to-the-exponents-of-the-perennial-philosophy-the-question-whether/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [Progress is not inevitable. It's up to us to create it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bloomberg/progress-is-not-inevitable-it-s-up-to-us-to-create-it/) [Michael Bloomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bloomberg/) > [“This magical thinking, this idea that human and personal progress is somehow inevitable, leads to political passivity. … It has turned whole nations, such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/this-magical-thinking-this-idea-that-human-and-personal-progress-is/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [“you once did nothing because you thought progress is inevitable, then you can continue to do nothing because you think time moves in repeating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-snyder/you-once-did-nothing-because-you-thought-progress-is-inevitable-then/) [Timothy Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-snyder/) > [We know that progress is not inevitable. But neither was victory upon these beaches. 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But never lose hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-may-lose-faith-you-may-lose-love-you-may-lose-courage-but-never/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Before I could lose my courage, I said, "Don't I get a kiss for luck? It's kind of a tradition, right?" I figured she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/before-i-could-lose-my-courage-i-said-don-t-i-get-a-kiss-for-luck-it/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [If the disappointing starts to the time / when you lose your courage, and courage tolose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/if-the-disappointing-starts-to-the-time-when-you-lose-your-courage/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) ## More by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi > [“Entropy is the normal state of consciousness—a condition that is neither useful nor enjoyable. To avoid this condition, people are naturally eager to fill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/entropy-is-the-normal-state-of-consciousness-a-condition-that-is/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Most enjoyable activities are not natural; they demand an effort that initially one is reluctant to make. But once the interaction starts to provide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/most-enjoyable-activities-are-not-natural-they-demand-an-effort-that/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [People without an internalized symbolic system can all too easily become captives of the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/people-without-an-internalized-symbolic-system-can-all-too-easily/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Through learning we grow, becoming more than we were before, and in that sense learning is unselfish, because it results in the transformation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/through-learning-we-grow-becoming-more-than-we-were-before-and-in/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“Unfortunately, many people find the only challenges they can respond to are violence, gambling, random sex, or drugs. Some of these experiences can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/unfortunately-many-people-find-the-only-challenges-they-can-respond/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [It is essential to learn to enjoy life. It really does not make sense to go through the motions of existence if one does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-essential-to-learn-to-enjoy-life-it-really-does-not-make-sense/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“It is usual to explain the motivation of those who enjoy dangerous activities as some sort of pathological need: they are trying to exorcise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/it-is-usual-to-explain-the-motivation-of-those-who-enjoy-dangerous/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [“Wisdom and integrity cannot be found in any single domain. A broader viewpoint that breaks across disciplinary boundaries is needed, a way of understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/wisdom-and-integrity-cannot-be-found-in-any-single-domain-a-broader/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [For better or worse, our future will be determined in large part by our dreams and by the struggle to make them real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/for-better-or-worse-our-future-will-be-determined-in-large-part-by/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Many business leaders today view their jobs as entailing responsibility for the welfare of the wider community. These individuals do not define themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/many-business-leaders-today-view-their-jobs-as-entailing/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [The rules themselves are clear enough, and within everyone’s reach. But many forces, both within ourselves and in the environment, stand in the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/the-rules-themselves-are-clear-enough-and-within-everyone-s-reach-but/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [When each of these three elements of vision-concern for excellence, for people and for the wider environment-are present, business is transformed from a tool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-each-of-these-three-elements-of-vision-concern-for-excellence/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [If an enterprise does not aspire to be the best of its kind, it will attract second-rate employees, and it will be soon forgotten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/if-an-enterprise-does-not-aspire-to-be-the-best-of-its-kind-it-will/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Only direct control of experience, the ability to derive moment-by-moment enjoyment from everything we do, can overcome the obstacles to fulfillment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/only-direct-control-of-experience-the-ability-to-derive-moment-by/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) > [Try to be surprised by something every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/try-to-be-surprised-by-something-every-day/) [Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) [Explore all 262 Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/) ## 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": "“When people start believing that progress is inevitable and life easy, they may quickly lose courage and determination in the face of the first signs of adversity.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-people-start-believing-that-progress-is-inevitable-and-life-easy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-people-start-believing-that-progress-is-inevitable-and-life-easy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_courage_when-people-start-believing-that-progres_2079331.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_courage_when-people-start-believing-that-progres_2079331.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5db/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-1255_courage_when-people-start-believing-that-progres_2079331.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When people start believing that progress is inevitable and life easy, they may quickly lose courage and…” — Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi", "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": "Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When people start believing that progress...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-people-start-believing-that-progress-is-inevitable-and-life-easy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/when-people-start-believing-that-progress-is-inevitable-and-life-easy/#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 } } ] } ```