--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The more severe the pain or illness, the…" description: "\"The more severe the pain or illness, the more severe will be the necessary changes. These may involve breaking bad habits, or acquiring some new and be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41d/peter-mcwilliams-2236_bad-habit_the-more-severe-the-pain-or-illness-the_1118536.png" --- # The more severe the pain or illness, the more severe will… ![“The more severe the pain or illness, the more severe will be the necessary changes. These may involve breaking bad habits, or acquiring some new and better ones.” quote by Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41d/peter-mcwilliams-2236_bad-habit_the-more-severe-the-pain-or-illness-the_1118536.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41d/peter-mcwilliams-2236_bad-habit_the-more-severe-the-pain-or-illness-the_1118536.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41d/peter-mcwilliams-2236_bad-habit_the-more-severe-the-pain-or-illness-the_1118536.png) > “The more severe the pain or illness, the more severe will be the necessary changes. These may involve breaking bad habits, or acquiring some new and better ones.” [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Significant pain or illness forces people to confront and change detrimental habits, often requiring adoption of healthier behaviors. **In simple terms:** Pain forces change. Key Takeaway Embrace change when health suffers. Themes health habit change self-improvement Mood determined reflective Type motivational practical When to use this quote - recovering from illness - addiction recovery - lifestyle overhaul - stress management Key Concepts behavioral psychology resilience Questions to Reflect On - What habit would you change if health declined? - How can you prepare for necessary change? A Different Perspective Change can be overwhelming and may meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habit/) [Bad habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habits/) [Breaking bad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaking-bad/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illness/) [Necessary change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-change/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Severe pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/severe-pain/) ## Related quotes > [Each of us should choose which course of action we must take; education, conventional political action, or even peaceful civil disobedience to bring about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/each-of-us-should-choose-which-course-of-action-we-must-take/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [There has to be solidarity among the artists, songwriters and all the creative forces within that circle in order for the necessary changes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oleta-adams/there-has-to-be-solidarity-among-the-artists-songwriters-and-all-the/) [Oleta Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oleta-adams/) > [Social changes always involve trade-offs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-coontz/social-changes-always-involve-trade-offs/) [Stephanie Coontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-coontz/) > [Make the necessary changes in life based upon what is best for you, not the comfort level of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-the-necessary-changes-in-life-based-upon-what-is-best-for-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The truth is, all the important, necessary changes that happen occur because a group of people decide to make it happen. 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It swept over my forehead, down my nose, on the sides…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/the-cotton-swab-softly-moved-across-my-face-leaving-a-pleasant/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“Amputees suffer itches, cramps and even severe pains in a leg that is no longer there. It can be the same with love...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-n-harris/amputees-suffer-itches-cramps-and-even-severe-pains-in-a-leg-that-is/) [José N. Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) ## More by Peter McWilliams > [Heroes became heroes flaws and all gives us hope. 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Information goes in, gets shuffled about, and comes out in new and interesting ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/one-of-the-great-joys-of-life-is-creativity-information-goes-in-gets/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Nausea is an unsolved problem of medicine and marijuana is the finest anti-nausea medication known to science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/nausea-is-an-unsolved-problem-of-medicine-and-marijuana-is-the-finest/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Worrying is the interest paid on a debt you may not owe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/worrying-is-the-interest-paid-on-a-debt-you-may-not-owe/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Be easier on yourself, on everyone, on everything. Suspend your judgments on the way things should be, must be, and ought to be. Suspending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/be-easier-on-yourself-on-everyone-on-everything-suspend-your/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [I feel that I am entitled to take medicinal marijuana. In general, I believe that everyone who has a doctor's prescription is entitled to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/i-feel-that-i-am-entitled-to-take-medicinal-marijuana-in-general-i/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Running from fear only strengthens fear-you are demonstrating that fear has power over you. Fear must be faced and gone through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/running-from-fear-only-strengthens-fear-you-are-demonstrating-that/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Positive thoughts: joy, happiness, fulfillment, achievement, worthiness, have positive results: enthusiasm, calm, well-being, ease, energy, love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/positive-thoughts-joy-happiness-fulfillment-achievement-worthiness/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Some people think that meditation takes time away from physical accomplishment. Taken to extremes, of course, that's true. 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It feels more like you're going to work when you get up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beaton/working-at-home-is-hard-it-tends-to-give-you-bad-habits-it-feels-more/) [Kate Beaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beaton/) > [Even the most fickle are faithful to a few bad habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/even-the-most-fickle-are-faithful-to-a-few-bad-habits/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“It's a very bad habit to put off disagreeable things...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/it-s-a-very-bad-habit-to-put-off-disagreeable-things/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“I’m afraid I don’t suffer petty bureaucrats gladly. A very bad habit, but one I find hard to break. Nevertheless, you will find, Dr.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-preston-lincoln-child-2/i-m-afraid-i-don-t-suffer-petty-bureaucrats-gladly-a-very-bad-habit/) Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child > [When you're walking at the airport, you're expected to smile at people because they know you... I find that tough. I'm only trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-kaif/when-you-re-walking-at-the-airport-you-re-expected-to-smile-at-people/) [Katrina Kaif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-kaif/) > [Im not actually this tall, Ive got this bad habit of sitting on my wallet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan/im-not-actually-this-tall-ive-got-this-bad-habit-of-sitting-on-my/) [Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan/) > [Sometimes it doesn't take much to slip back into bad habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/didier-deschamps/sometimes-it-doesn-t-take-much-to-slip-back-into-bad-habits/) [Didier Deschamps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/didier-deschamps/) > [I have the same friends and the same bad habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-silver/i-have-the-same-friends-and-the-same-bad-habits/) [Nate Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-silver/) > [I don't want to be overdramatic about it, but I'm starting to see a lot of my bad habits get the best of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/i-don-t-want-to-be-overdramatic-about-it-but-i-m-starting-to-see-a/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [The first duty of a Christian, of a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, is to deny himself. To deny oneself means to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-of-alaska/the-first-duty-of-a-christian-of-a-disciple-and-follower-of-jesus/) Innocent of Alaska > [“So, did you see that community center I was talking about?” “What? Where?” “We walked right past it, just before that grocery store. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pearce/so-did-you-see-that-community-center-i-was-talking-about-what-where/) [Jackson Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pearce/) > [The game is played out of instinct, but everyone on the ice has habits - good and bad. So the key to the game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gretzky/the-game-is-played-out-of-instinct-but-everyone-on-the-ice-has-habits/) [Wayne Gretzky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gretzky/) > [“So then, according to Jesus, the ‘evils’ which we think, say and do are not due primarily to our environment, nor are they bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/so-then-according-to-jesus-the-evils-which-we-think-say-and-do-are/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [My bad habits aren't my title. My strengths and my talent are my title.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layne-staley/my-bad-habits-aren-t-my-title-my-strengths-and-my-talent-are-my-title/) [Layne Staley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layne-staley/) > [Movies are one of the bad habits that have corrupted our century. They have slipped into the American mind more misinformation in one evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/movies-are-one-of-the-bad-habits-that-have-corrupted-our-century-they/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) [Browse all 567 Bad habit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-habit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The more severe the pain or illness, the more severe will be the necessary changes. 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