--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think climbing mountains or buildings…" description: "\"I think climbing mountains or buildings or whatever has been a really good metaphor for finishing my work. Because no matter how tired you get, no matt..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/octavia-butler-8606_building_i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings_3085625.jpg" --- # I think climbing mountains or buildings or whatever has… ![“I think climbing mountains or buildings or whatever has been a really good metaphor for finishing my work. Because no matter how tired you get, no matter how you feel like you can't possibly do this, somehow you do.” quote by Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/octavia-butler-8606_building_i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings_3085625.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/octavia-butler-8606_building_i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings_3085625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/octavia-butler-8606_building_i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings_3085625.jpg) > “I think climbing mountains or buildings or whatever has been a really good metaphor for finishing my work. Because no matter how tired you get, no matter how you feel like you can't possibly do this, somehow you do.” [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She uses climbing as a metaphor for perseverance: despite fatigue, one can overcome challenges and complete tasks. **In simple terms:** Climbing symbolizes perseverance despite fatigue. Key Takeaway Persist through exhaustion to achieve goals. Themes perseverance metaphor resilience goal achievement Mood inspirational determined Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - project deadlines - physical training - creative blocks - team challenges - personal goals Key Concepts psychology motivation physical metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What personal “climbs” motivate you? - How can you translate fatigue into forward momentum? A Different Perspective Physical metaphors may not resonate for all audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Building](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) [Climbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing/) [Climbing mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing-mountain/) [Climbing mountains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing-mountains/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Finishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finishing/) [Good Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-metaphor-420487/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [How you feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/how-you-feel/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Metaphor Finishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor-finishing-5283084/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Think Climbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-climbing-1867544/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired/) ## Related quotes > [Think about climbing a mountain. If you decide you're going up Everest, you don't start with a sprint. You'll never make it out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/think-about-climbing-a-mountain-if-you-decide-you-re-going-up-everest/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [“If one takes meaning into consideration, happiness might best be described as “a zest for life in all its complexity,” as Sissela Bok writes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-senior/if-one-takes-meaning-into-consideration-happiness-might-best-be/) [Jennifer Senior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-senior/) > [“I no longer have a bucket list. I have love in my life. This is far greater than seeing the Pyramids, climbing mountains, eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-lipsenthal/i-no-longer-have-a-bucket-list-i-have-love-in-my-life-this-is-far/) [Lee Lipsenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-lipsenthal/) > [When I was a kid, I always dreamed about climbing mountains. I read every book about it. I formulated this plan to accomplish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-layfield/when-i-was-a-kid-i-always-dreamed-about-climbing-mountains-i-read/) [John Layfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-layfield/) > [The reason for not getting married was that I just didn't have a partner to get married to. Climbing mountains was more attractive to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamae-watanabe/the-reason-for-not-getting-married-was-that-i-just-didn-t-have-a/) [Tamae Watanabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamae-watanabe/) > [“Climbing mountains is an act I happen to love, but it is only one form of adventure. There are thousands. In fact, there's one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-jenkins/climbing-mountains-is-an-act-i-happen-to-love-but-it-is-only-one-form/) [Mark Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-jenkins/) > [I love the outdoors, I love climbing mountains. But I also like to walk down the street in New York in the fall and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-heughan/i-love-the-outdoors-i-love-climbing-mountains-but-i-also-like-to-walk/) [Sam Heughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-heughan/) > [For me, the value of a climb is the sum of three inseparable elements, all equally important: aesthetics, history, and ethics. Together they form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-bonatti/for-me-the-value-of-a-climb-is-the-sum-of-three-inseparable-elements/) [Walter Bonatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-bonatti/) > [“It was the kind of fear that made people jump off cliffs and climb mountains—the kind of fear that told you something miraculous was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack-faking-it/it-was-the-kind-of-fear-that-made-people-jump-off-cliffs-and-climb/) [Cora Carmack Faking It](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack-faking-it/) > [I went whenever I could, and always my eyes lifted to the hills. I was to find a spiritual and physical satisfaction in climbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-wainwright/i-went-whenever-i-could-and-always-my-eyes-lifted-to-the-hills-i-was/) [Alfred Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-wainwright/) > [“The one frightened of climbing mountains, forever lives in the ditches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-adb-al-rahman-al-arifi/the-one-frightened-of-climbing-mountains-forever-lives-in-the-ditches/) [Muhammad Adb Al-Rahman Al-Arifi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-adb-al-rahman-al-arifi/) > [I have the tools to climb the mountain so I don't mind climbing mountains. I have climbed mountains since I was growing up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-campbell/i-have-the-tools-to-climb-the-mountain-so-i-don-t-mind-climbing/) [Sol Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-campbell/) > [“\*I love climbing mountains in all fields (Whatever was this fields). \*I love tranquility and it is more for me precious than money. \*Honesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens-hard-times/i-love-climbing-mountains-in-all-fields-whatever-was-this-fields-i/) [Charles Dickens - Hard Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens-hard-times/) > [“There is wisdom in climbing mountains... For they teach us how truly small we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/there-is-wisdom-in-climbing-mountains-for-they-teach-us-how-truly/) [Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/) > [There is nothing to do, just be. Do nothing. Be. No climbing mountains and sitting in caves. I do not even say "be yourself"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/there-is-nothing-to-do-just-be-do-nothing-be-no-climbing-mountains/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) ## More by Octavia Butler > [The thing about science fiction is that it's totally wide open. But it's wide open in a conditional way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-thing-about-science-fiction-is-that-it-s-totally-wide-open-but-it/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [Life is getting better, but that won't stop a war if politicians and business people decide it's to their advantage to have one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/life-is-getting-better-but-that-won-t-stop-a-war-if-politicians-and/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I talked to members of my family, and did some personal research that didn't really have anything to do with the time and place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/i-talked-to-members-of-my-family-and-did-some-personal-research-that/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/first-forget-inspiration-habit-is-more-dependable-habit-will-sustain/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [Belief initiates and guides action - or it does nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/belief-initiates-and-guides-action-or-it-does-nothing/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [Ignorance Protects itself, And protected, Ignorance grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/ignorance-protects-itself-and-protected-ignorance-grows/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [But my problem with fantasy, and horror, and related genres, is that sometimes the problems are illogical.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/but-my-problem-with-fantasy-and-horror-and-related-genres-is-that/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [“In order to rise From its own ashes A phoenix First Must Burn. Earthseed: The Books of the Living Lauren Oya Olamina”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/in-order-to-rise-from-its-own-ashes-a-phoenix-first-must-burn/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I'm a fifty-three-year-old writer who can remember being a ten-year-old writer and who expects someday to be an eighty-year-old writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/i-m-a-fifty-three-year-old-writer-who-can-remember-being-a-ten-year/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I'm me, and I'm here, and I'm writing,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/i-m-me-and-i-m-here-and-i-m-writing/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [Most of what I do is science fiction. Some of the things I do are fantasy. I don't like the labels, they're marketing tools,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/most-of-what-i-do-is-science-fiction-some-of-the-things-i-do-are/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [The only black people you found were occasional characters or characters who were so feeble-witted that they couldn't manage anything, anyway. I wrote myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/the-only-black-people-you-found-were-occasional-characters-or/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [He was like me - a kindred spirit crazy enough to keep on trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/he-was-like-me-a-kindred-spirit-crazy-enough-to-keep-on-trying/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/to-be-led-by-a-fool-is-to-be-led-by-the-opportunists-who-control-the/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [Helpless lust and unreasoning anxiety were just part of growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/helpless-lust-and-unreasoning-anxiety-were-just-part-of-growing-up/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) [Explore all 79 Octavia Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) ## More Building quotes > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Surely, if Mother Nature had been consulted, she would never have consented to building a city in New Orleans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-zuckerman/surely-if-mother-nature-had-been-consulted-she-would-never-have/) [Mortimer Zuckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-zuckerman/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [Absolutely, you can improve and become better at toughness. It's a talent, but it can be acquired, too. I think of it like building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-harbaugh/absolutely-you-can-improve-and-become-better-at-toughness-it-s-a/) [Jim Harbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-harbaugh/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I'd like to play Ian Paisley, actually. I'd need building up, though he's very frail now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/i-d-like-to-play-ian-paisley-actually-i-d-need-building-up-though-he/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [As for the forces, electromagnetism and gravity we experience in everyday life. But the weak and strong forces are beyond our ordinary experience. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-witten/as-for-the-forces-electromagnetism-and-gravity-we-experience-in/) [Edward Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-witten/) > [I'm 30. I'm about to hit my prime now. I need to act and keep building.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillian-whyte/i-m-30-i-m-about-to-hit-my-prime-now-i-need-to-act-and-keep-building/) [Dillian Whyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillian-whyte/) > [The essential functions of the mind consist in understanding and in inventing, in other words, in building up structures by structuring reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/the-essential-functions-of-the-mind-consist-in-understanding-and-in/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) > [Practically every time I speak up at a school conference, a political event, or my apartment building association's annual meeting, I'm met with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-druckerman/practically-every-time-i-speak-up-at-a-school-conference-a-political/) [Pamela Druckerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-druckerman/) [Browse all 5,974 Building quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/building/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think climbing mountains or buildings or whatever has been a really good metaphor for finishing my work. Because no matter how tired you get, no matter how you feel like you can't possibly do this, somehow you do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Octavia Butler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings-or-whatever-has-been-a-really/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Building" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings-or-whatever-has-been-a-really/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/octavia-butler-8606_building_i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings_3085625.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/octavia-butler-8606_building_i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings_3085625.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85f/octavia-butler-8606_building_i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings_3085625.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think climbing mountains or buildings or whatever has been a really good metaphor for finishing my work…” — Octavia Butler", "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": "Octavia Butler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think climbing mountains or buildings...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings-or-whatever-has-been-a-really/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings-or-whatever-has-been-a-really/#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 } } ] } ```