--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: By climbing mountains we were not…" description: "\"By climbing mountains we were not learning how big we were. We were finding out how breakable, how weak and how full of fear we are.\" — Reinhold Messner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/reinhold-messner-3556_big_by-climbing-mountains-we-were-not-learni_1881125.jpg" --- # By climbing mountains we were not learning how big we… ![“By climbing mountains we were not learning how big we were. We were finding out how breakable, how weak and how full of fear we are.” quote by Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/reinhold-messner-3556_big_by-climbing-mountains-we-were-not-learni_1881125.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/reinhold-messner-3556_big_by-climbing-mountains-we-were-not-learni_1881125.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d82/reinhold-messner-3556_big_by-climbing-mountains-we-were-not-learni_1881125.jpg) > “By climbing mountains we were not learning how big we were. We were finding out how breakable, how weak and how full of fear we are.” [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scaling peaks reveals personal fragility and fear, not just physical size. **In simple terms:** Mountains show our vulnerability. Key Takeaway Embrace humility and confront fear. Themes self‑discovery vulnerability fear Mood introspective courageous Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - adventure sports - personal development - therapy Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when fear surfaces? - What does vulnerability teach you? A Different Perspective Physical challenges can expose emotional limits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [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/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Mountains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountains/) [Mountains Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountains-learning-2656639/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) [Weak Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak-fear-1186975/) ## Related quotes > [I grew up climbing mountains in Montana and Wyoming and my wife and I were engaged on top of a mountain peak: Hyalite Peak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-daines/i-grew-up-climbing-mountains-in-montana-and-wyoming-and-my-wife-and-i/) [Steve Daines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-daines/) > [When I was a kid, I always dreamed about climbing mountains. 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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/) > [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/) > [I love the outdoors, I love climbing mountains. 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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/) > [There is no joy involved in climbing mountains, there is simply the challenge, the self-invented challenge, the play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/there-is-no-joy-involved-in-climbing-mountains-there-is-simply-the/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [“The fact that I am still alive, when so many friends and others climbing the 8000ers have died is humbling. ... It is only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hinkes/the-fact-that-i-am-still-alive-when-so-many-friends-and-others/) [Alan Hinkes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hinkes/) > [“climbing a mountain represents a chance to be briefly free oneself of the small concerns of our common lives, to strip off nonessentials, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mateo-cabello/climbing-a-mountain-represents-a-chance-to-be-briefly-free-oneself-of/) [Mateo Cabello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mateo-cabello/) > [“Perhaps there’s no better act of simplification than climbing a mountain. For an afternoon, a day, or a week, it’s a way of reducing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ilgunas/perhaps-there-s-no-better-act-of-simplification-than-climbing-a/) [Ken Ilgunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ilgunas/) ## More by Reinhold Messner > [Fame is very heavy. When there are large crowds, I'm unable to handle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/fame-is-very-heavy-when-there-are-large-crowds-i-m-unable-to-handle-it/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [The cliches that circulate in the German media about Joachim Sauer are a total fallacy. The fact is that he's his own man. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/the-cliches-that-circulate-in-the-german-media-about-joachim-sauer/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [Climbing is not a competition, and you cannot talk in terms of 'greatest,' it means nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/climbing-is-not-a-competition-and-you-cannot-talk-in-terms-of/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [Life is about daring to carry out your ideas. 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Therefore an authentic account can never be given, let alone written down by someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/an-account-of-an-expedition-is-not-a-novel-therefore-an-authentic/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [Ueli Steck, I'm absolutely certain, had a very strong inner drive to keep pushing. He set very high standards for himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/ueli-steck-i-m-absolutely-certain-had-a-very-strong-inner-drive-to/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [I can't tell people to love mountains. They have to find their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/i-can-t-tell-people-to-love-mountains-they-have-to-find-their-own-way/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [...seen from above, landscapes are made up of mountains and watercourses. 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Many of them - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/out-of-all-the-climbers-of-this-generation-i-was-the-one-who-became/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [Bolts are the murder of the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/bolts-are-the-murder-of-the-impossible/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [Mountaineering is over. Alpinism is dead. 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