--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only when you despair of all…" description: "\"It is only when you despair of all ordinary means, it is only when you convince it that it must help you or you perish, that the seed of life in you be..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/robert-collier-7407_convince_it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordin_104591.png" --- # It is only when you despair of all ordinary means, it is… ![“It is only when you despair of all ordinary means, it is only when you convince it that it must help you or you perish, that the seed of life in you bestirs itself to provide a new resource.” quote by Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/robert-collier-7407_convince_it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordin_104591.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/robert-collier-7407_convince_it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordin_104591.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/robert-collier-7407_convince_it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordin_104591.png) > “It is only when you despair of all ordinary means, it is only when you convince it that it must help you or you perish, that the seed of life in you bestirs itself to provide a new resource.” [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When ordinary solutions fail, desperation can spark a creative drive that generates novel resources or opportunities. **In simple terms:** Despair can ignite innovative problem‑solving. Key Takeaway Crisis fuels creative breakthroughs. Themes motivation creativity adversity Mood hopeful determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - entrepreneurial pivots - scientific breakthroughs after setbacks - personal habit changes after a crisis Key Concepts psychological transformation Practical Applications - embrace uncertainty as a catalyst - use structured brainstorming when stuck Questions to Reflect On - What conditions turn desperation into creativity? - When does pressure become counterproductive? A Different Perspective Not all desperation leads to constructive ideas; it can also cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [How could one comfort a disturbed person? He is already assailed with doubts about his faith. He would have to despair with such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-f-w-walther/how-could-one-comfort-a-disturbed-person-he-is-already-assailed-with/) [C. F. W. Walther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-f-w-walther/) > [I knew I shouldn't like him cause I know it's not working, and everybody tells me that, and I convince myself I don't... and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/i-knew-i-shouldn-t-like-him-cause-i-know-it-s-not-working-and/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [I guess that is the strange part of the human brain that people have studied for eons - is hatred and self-hatred. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-guess-that-is-the-strange-part-of-the-human-brain-that-people-have/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [It's hard to convince your agents and managers to do theater, because it's not as financially rewarding and it takes up a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-helberg/it-s-hard-to-convince-your-agents-and-managers-to-do-theater-because/) [Simon Helberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-helberg/) > [“Don't ever let anyone convince you that your imagination is wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-bianco/don-t-ever-let-anyone-convince-you-that-your-imagination-is-wrong/) [Giuseppe Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-bianco/) > [Don't lie to yourself about what you can't or can achieve. Convince yourself on a realistic level that you can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-lie-to-yourself-about-what-you-can-t-or-can-achieve-convince/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you can convince yourself, you can convince the other fellow,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/if-you-can-convince-yourself-you-can-convince-the-other-fellow/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I think they do. And although it's really hard to believe, I have my doubts. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/human-beings-have-the-incredible-capacity-for-denial-i-think-they-do/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“What can I say to convince you the Houses of Parliament dissolve night after night to become the fluid dream of the Thames? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisel-mueller/what-can-i-say-to-convince-you-the-houses-of-parliament-dissolve/) [Lisel Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisel-mueller/) > [The people on the QVC shopping channel convince me that life is worth living. They see the good in everything. People who go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/the-people-on-the-qvc-shopping-channel-convince-me-that-life-is-worth/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) > [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The first duty of a wise advocate is to convince his opponents that he understands their arguments, and sympathies with their just feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-first-duty-of-a-wise-advocate-is-to-convince-his-opponents-that/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-never-met-a-disease-he-could-not-cure-a-birth-defect-he-could/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [“Sometimes we want something to be true so badly that we convince ourselves that it is true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/sometimes-we-want-something-to-be-true-so-badly-that-we-convince/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) ## More by Robert Collier > [All of us have bad luck and good luck. The man who persists through the bad luck - who keeps right on going -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/all-of-us-have-bad-luck-and-good-luck-the-man-who-persists-through/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Your belief that you can do the thing gives your thought forces their power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/your-belief-that-you-can-do-the-thing-gives-your-thought-forces-their/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [It is your work to clear away the mass of encumbering material of thoughts, so that you may bring into plain view the precious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/it-is-your-work-to-clear-away-the-mass-of-encumbering-material-of/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Supply always comes on the heels of demand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/supply-always-comes-on-the-heels-of-demand/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Make every thought, every fact, that comes into your mind pay you a profit. Make it work and produce for you. Think of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/make-every-thought-every-fact-that-comes-into-your-mind-pay-you-a/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [See the things you want as already yours. Think of them as yours, as belonging to you, as already in your possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/see-the-things-you-want-as-already-yours-think-of-them-as-yours-as/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Your chances of success in any undertaking can always be measured by your belief in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/your-chances-of-success-in-any-undertaking-can-always-be-measured-by/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Mind is all that counts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/mind-is-all-that-counts/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [People blame their environment. There is only one person to blame - and only one - themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/people-blame-their-environment-there-is-only-one-person-to-blame-and/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [All riches have their origin in mind. Wealth is in ideas - not money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/all-riches-have-their-origin-in-mind-wealth-is-in-ideas-not-money/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [The great thing is the start - to see an opportunity for service, and to start doing it, even though in the beginning you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/the-great-thing-is-the-start-to-see-an-opportunity-for-service-and-to/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Everything in God's store is on the bottom shelf...you have to get on your knees to get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/everything-in-god-s-store-is-on-the-bottom-shelf-you-have-to-get-on/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Decide the effect you want to produce in your reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/decide-the-effect-you-want-to-produce-in-your-reader/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Make your mold. The best flux in the world will not make a usable shape unless you have a mold to pour it in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/make-your-mold-the-best-flux-in-the-world-will-not-make-a-usable/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) > [Visualize this thing you want. See it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/visualize-this-thing-you-want-see-it-feel-it-believe-in-it-make-your/) [Robert Collier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) [Explore all 91 Robert Collier quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/) ## More Convince quotes > [“Sometimes we want something to be true so badly that we convince ourselves that it is true.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/sometimes-we-want-something-to-be-true-so-badly-that-we-convince/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [The privilege of prayer to me is one of the most cherished possessions, because faith and experience alike convince me that God himself sees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfred-grenfell/the-privilege-of-prayer-to-me-is-one-of-the-most-cherished/) [Wilfred Grenfell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfred-grenfell/) > [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-never-met-a-disease-he-could-not-cure-a-birth-defect-he-could/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [The first duty of a wise advocate is to convince his opponents that he understands their arguments, and sympathies with their just feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-first-duty-of-a-wise-advocate-is-to-convince-his-opponents-that/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The people on the QVC shopping channel convince me that life is worth living. They see the good in everything. People who go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-vegas/the-people-on-the-qvc-shopping-channel-convince-me-that-life-is-worth/) [Johnny Vegas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-vegas/) > [“What can I say to convince you the Houses of Parliament dissolve night after night to become the fluid dream of the Thames? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisel-mueller/what-can-i-say-to-convince-you-the-houses-of-parliament-dissolve/) [Lisel Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisel-mueller/) > [Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I think they do. And although it's really hard to believe, I have my doubts. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/human-beings-have-the-incredible-capacity-for-denial-i-think-they-do/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“If you can convince yourself, you can convince the other fellow,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-sanders/if-you-can-convince-yourself-you-can-convince-the-other-fellow/) [Tim Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-sanders/) > [Don't lie to yourself about what you can't or can achieve. Convince yourself on a realistic level that you can do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-lie-to-yourself-about-what-you-can-t-or-can-achieve-convince/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't ever let anyone convince you that your imagination is wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuseppe-bianco/don-t-ever-let-anyone-convince-you-that-your-imagination-is-wrong/) [Giuseppe Bianco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuseppe-bianco/) > [It's hard to convince your agents and managers to do theater, because it's not as financially rewarding and it takes up a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-helberg/it-s-hard-to-convince-your-agents-and-managers-to-do-theater-because/) [Simon Helberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-helberg/) > [I guess that is the strange part of the human brain that people have studied for eons - is hatred and self-hatred. You can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-noah/i-guess-that-is-the-strange-part-of-the-human-brain-that-people-have/) [Trevor Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-noah/) > [I knew I shouldn't like him cause I know it's not working, and everybody tells me that, and I convince myself I don't... and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/i-knew-i-shouldn-t-like-him-cause-i-know-it-s-not-working-and/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-statesmen-will-invent-cheap-lies-putting-the-blame-upon-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) Browse all 1,431 Convince quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is only when you despair of all ordinary means, it is only when you convince it that it must help you or you perish, that the seed of life in you bestirs itself to provide a new resource.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Collier" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordinary-means-it-is-only-when-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Convince" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordinary-means-it-is-only-when-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/robert-collier-7407_convince_it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordin_104591.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/robert-collier-7407_convince_it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordin_104591.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dee/robert-collier-7407_convince_it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordin_104591.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is only when you despair of all ordinary means, it is only when you convince it that it must help you or…” — Robert Collier", "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": "Robert Collier", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-collier/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is only when you despair...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordinary-means-it-is-only-when-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-collier/it-is-only-when-you-despair-of-all-ordinary-means-it-is-only-when-you/#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 } } ] } ```