--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can so easily slip back from what we…" description: "\"“We can so easily slip back from what we have struggled to attain, abruptly, into a life we never wanted; can find that we are trapped, as in a dream, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/rainer-maria-rilke-193_daily-life_we-can-so-easily-slip-back-from-what-we_2188829.jpg" --- # We can so easily slip back from what we have struggled to… ![“We can so easily slip back from what we have struggled to attain, abruptly, into a life we never wanted; can find that we are trapped, as in a dream, and die there, without ever waking up. This can occur. Anyone who has lifted his blood into a years-long work may find that he can't sustain it, the…” quote by Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/rainer-maria-rilke-193_daily-life_we-can-so-easily-slip-back-from-what-we_2188829.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/rainer-maria-rilke-193_daily-life_we-can-so-easily-slip-back-from-what-we_2188829.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/23b/rainer-maria-rilke-193_daily-life_we-can-so-easily-slip-back-from-what-we_2188829.jpg) > ““We can so easily slip back from what we have struggled to attain, abruptly, into a life we never wanted; can find that we are trapped, as in a dream, and die there, without ever waking up. This can occur. Anyone who has lifted his blood into a years-long work may find that he can't sustain it, the force of gravity is irresistible, and it falls back, worthless. For somewhere there is an ancient enmity between our daily life and the great work.”” [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great achievements are fragile; daily life can pull us back, creating tension between ordinary routine and lofty goals. **In simple terms:** Big goals are hard to keep while living everyday life. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant to protect your long‑term vision. Themes ambition resilience mundane vs. transcendent Mood motivational reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - artistic projects - spiritual practice - health goals Key Concepts existentialism psychology creative struggle Questions to Reflect On - What daily habits support your great work? - How do you handle setbacks? A Different Perspective Gravity of routine can overwhelm; may lead to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Daily life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daily-life/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Gravity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gravity/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [Don't be trapped in someone else's dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-be-trapped-in-someone-else-s-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have explained the phenomena of the heavens and of our sea by the force of gravity, but I have not yet assigned a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/i-have-explained-the-phenomena-of-the-heavens-and-of-our-sea-by-the/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [In recent weeks, in true messianic style, it has come clear to her that her real identity is literally, the force of gravity. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/in-recent-weeks-in-true-messianic-style-it-has-come-clear-to-her-that/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [ If it \[the universe\] was expanding fairly slowly, the force of gravity would cause it eventually to stop expanding and then to start contracting.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/if-it-the-universe-was-expanding-fairly-slowly-the-force-of-gravity/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I suppose I'll have to add the force of gravity to my list of enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-suppose-i-ll-have-to-add-the-force-of-gravity-to-my-list-of-enemies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Satan fell by the force of gravity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton-2/satan-fell-by-the-force-of-gravity/) [G. K. 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But the soul is ruled by levity, pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/the-body-she-says-is-subject-to-the-force-of-gravity-but-the-soul-is/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [“the great masses always and at once respond to the force of gravity in the direction of the powers that be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-zweig/the-great-masses-always-and-at-once-respond-to-the-force-of-gravity/) [Stefan Zweig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-zweig/) > [Thus far I have explained the phenomena of the heavens and of our sea by the force of gravity, but I have not yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/thus-far-i-have-explained-the-phenomena-of-the-heavens-and-of-our-sea/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [If a projectile were deprived of the force of gravity, it would not be deflected toward the earth but would go off in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-newton/if-a-projectile-were-deprived-of-the-force-of-gravity-it-would-not-be/) [Isaac Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-newton/) > [While you're in space, you grow in height! Without the constant force of gravity on your spine, it stretches out, and you're actually taller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-koch/while-you-re-in-space-you-grow-in-height-without-the-constant-force/) [Christina Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-koch/) > [“The fact that the force of gravity can be made to disappear for a brief time over a small region around any point in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weinberg/the-fact-that-the-force-of-gravity-can-be-made-to-disappear-for-a/) [Steven Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weinberg/) ## More by Rainer Maria Rilke > [The artist's experience lies so unbelievably close to the sexual, to its pain and its pleasure, that the two phenomena are really just different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/the-artist-s-experience-lies-so-unbelievably-close-to-the-sexual-to/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“Out of infinite longings rise finite deeds like weak fountains, falling back just in time and trembling. And yet, what otherwise remains silent, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/out-of-infinite-longings-rise-finite-deeds-like-weak-fountains/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“I love the dark hours of my being. My mind deepens into them. There I can find, as in old letters, the days of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/i-love-the-dark-hours-of-my-being-my-mind-deepens-into-them-there-i/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“A complete sharing between two people is an impossibility and whenever it seems, nevertheless, to exist, it is a narrowing, a mutual agreement which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/a-complete-sharing-between-two-people-is-an-impossibility-and/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“But this is what ... people are so often and disastrously wrong in doing: they (who by their very nature are impatient) fling themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/but-this-is-what-people-are-so-often-and-disastrously-wrong-in-doing/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“If there is nothing you can share with other people, try to be close to Things. 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Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms, like books written in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/have-patience-with-everything-that-remains-unsolved-in-your-heart-try/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) [Explore all 861 Rainer Maria Rilke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) ## More Daily life quotes > [Daily life is both the subject and environment of the work I am making.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-henrot/daily-life-is-both-the-subject-and-environment-of-the-work-i-am-making/) [Camille Henrot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-henrot/) > [I believe that simple, consistent shifts in our thinking and actions can lead to the miraculous in all aspects of our daily lives, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/i-believe-that-simple-consistent-shifts-in-our-thinking-and-actions/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“I should say that it was only for me that Marxism seemed over. Surely, I would tell G. at least once a week, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katha-pollitt/i-should-say-that-it-was-only-for-me-that-marxism-seemed-over-surely/) [Katha Pollitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katha-pollitt/) > [I want to show that drama doesn't lie only in blood and destroyed buildings but in daily life, in ordinary human beings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmila-zbanic/i-want-to-show-that-drama-doesn-t-lie-only-in-blood-and-destroyed/) [Jasmila Zbanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmila-zbanic/) > [“There is no randomness about your life. Here and Now comprise the coordinates of your daily life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-young/there-is-no-randomness-about-your-life-here-and-now-comprise-the/) [Sarah Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-young/) > [Having an eating disorder doesn't show ‘strength.’ Strength is when are able to overcome your demons after being sick and tired for so long.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/having-an-eating-disorder-doesn-t-show-strength-strength-is-when-are/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [ The \[Tumor Treating Fields\] patients can undergo all the activities of their daily life. There's none of the tiredness. There's none of what is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-doyle/the-tumor-treating-fields-patients-can-undergo-all-the-activities-of/) William Doyle > [You do research into specific occupations of the character, with specific behaviorisms that their daily life might give them. You do as much research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-burnet/you-do-research-into-specific-occupations-of-the-character-with/) [Guy Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-burnet/) > [“Each day I will accomplish one thing on my to list.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/each-day-i-will-accomplish-one-thing-on-my-to-list/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“To believe that God can reach us and bless us in the ordinary junctures of daily life is the stuff of prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-j-foster/to-believe-that-god-can-reach-us-and-bless-us-in-the-ordinary/) [Richard J. Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-j-foster/) > [People of the Philippines: I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God our forces stand again on Philippine soil—soil consecrated in the blood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/people-of-the-philippines-i-have-returned-by-the-grace-of-almighty/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Don't try to prove yourself the extra mile, your daily Life is enough to do that for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/don-t-try-to-prove-yourself-the-extra-mile-your-daily-life-is-enough/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [If you ask ... the man in the street ... the human significance of mathematics, the answer of the world will be, that mathematics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassius-jackson-keyser/if-you-ask-the-man-in-the-street-the-human-significance-of/) [Cassius Jackson Keyser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassius-jackson-keyser/) > [As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/as-you-take-the-normal-opportunities-of-your-daily-life-and-create/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) [Browse all 1,299 Daily life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daily-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We can so easily slip back from what we have struggled to attain, abruptly, into a life we never wanted; can find that we are trapped, as in a dream, and die there, without ever waking up. This can occur. Anyone who has lifted his blood into a years-long work may find that he can't sustain it, the force of gravity is irresistible, and it falls back, worthless. 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