--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the most dangerous of obstacles…" description: "\"“This is the most dangerous of obstacles because it has a kind of saintly aura about it: renouncing joy and conquest. But if you believe yourself worth..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/paulo-coelho-10_adversity_this-is-the-most-dangerous-of-obstacles_1184069.jpg" --- # This is the most dangerous of obstacles because it has a… ![“This is the most dangerous of obstacles because it has a kind of saintly aura about it: renouncing joy and conquest. But if you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the Soul of the World, and you understand why you are here.” quote by Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/paulo-coelho-10_adversity_this-is-the-most-dangerous-of-obstacles_1184069.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/paulo-coelho-10_adversity_this-is-the-most-dangerous-of-obstacles_1184069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e5/paulo-coelho-10_adversity_this-is-the-most-dangerous-of-obstacles_1184069.jpg) > ““This is the most dangerous of obstacles because it has a kind of saintly aura about it: renouncing joy and conquest. But if you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the Soul of the World, and you understand why you are here.”” [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Renouncing joy and conquest can seem noble, but true purpose comes from feeling worthy of one's achievements and serving a greater good. **In simple terms:** Worthiness and service give meaning beyond sacrifice. Key Takeaway Recognize your worth and act for the common good. Themes purpose spirituality self‑worth service Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career advancement - personal growth - community leadership - spiritual practice Key Concepts existentialism heroic quest moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What achievements make you feel worthy? - How can you serve others without losing yourself? A Different Perspective May lead to self‑delusion if worthiness is based on ego rather than humility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Believe Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-yourself/) [Conquest Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conquest-believe-3484528/) [Dangerous Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dangerous-obstacles-3484526/) [Help Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-soul-557156/) [Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) [Obstacles Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles-kind-3484527/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [“if you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/if-you-believe-yourself-worthy-of-the-thing-you-fought-so-hard-to-get/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [But if you believe yourself worthy of the thing you fought so hard to get, then you become an instrument of God, you help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/but-if-you-believe-yourself-worthy-of-the-thing-you-fought-so-hard-to/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I always like to try different things, different genres; stories that have a dramatic element and can generate conflict which I find appealing; where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-always-like-to-try-different-things-different-genres-stories-that/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [It really has been a blessing because you can go and look at our other movies we've done in a studio system. 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Help someone's soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/be-a-lamp-or-a-lifeboat-or-a-ladder-help-someone-s-soul-heal-walk-out/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [I love you like a river that begins as a solitary trickle in the mountains and gradually grows and joins other rivers until, after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-love-you-like-a-river-that-begins-as-a-solitary-trickle-in-the/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by Paulo Coelho > [I have inside me the winds, the deserts, the oceans, the stars, and everything created in the universe. We were all made by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-have-inside-me-the-winds-the-deserts-the-oceans-the-stars-and/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Love will never separate a man from his personal legend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/love-will-never-separate-a-man-from-his-personal-legend/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The world has a soul and whoever understands that soul can also understand the language of many things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-world-has-a-soul-and-whoever-understands-that-soul-can-also/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. 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And walk when it is time to walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/eat-when-it-is-time-to-eat-and-walk-when-it-is-time-to-walk/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [People are reading more and writing more because of the internet. So the virtual world is a way for me to listen to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/people-are-reading-more-and-writing-more-because-of-the-internet-so/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Joy is like sex – it begins and ends. I want pleasure. I want to be contended, but happiness? I no longer fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/joy-is-like-sex-it-begins-and-ends-i-want-pleasure-i-want-to-be/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“Trudi se da zivis, sjecanja su za starije ljude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/trudi-se-da-zivis-sjecanja-su-za-starije-ljude/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [When someone leaves, it's because someone else is about to arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/when-someone-leaves-it-s-because-someone-else-is-about-to-arrive/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [The past and the future become unimportant. 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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": "“This is the most dangerous of obstacles because it has a kind of saintly aura about it: renouncing joy and conquest. 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