--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In difficult times, people too often lose…" description: "\"In difficult times, people too often lose the ability to face the future optimistically. They begin to think about their tomorrow's negatively. They fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/400/robert-h-schuller-2371_ability_in-difficult-times-people-too-often-lose_1773224.jpg" --- # In difficult times, people too often lose the ability to… ![“In difficult times, people too often lose the ability to face the future optimistically. They begin to think about their tomorrow's negatively. They forget that the tough times will pass. They concentrate on the problems of today rather than on the opportunities of tomorrow. In so doing, they not…” quote by Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/400/robert-h-schuller-2371_ability_in-difficult-times-people-too-often-lose_1773224.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/400/robert-h-schuller-2371_ability_in-difficult-times-people-too-often-lose_1773224.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/400/robert-h-schuller-2371_ability_in-difficult-times-people-too-often-lose_1773224.jpg) > “In difficult times, people too often lose the ability to face the future optimistically. They begin to think about their tomorrow's negatively. They forget that the tough times will pass. They concentrate on the problems of today rather than on the opportunities of tomorrow. In so doing, they not only lose the potential of today, they also throw away the beauty of tomorrow.” [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Optimism erodes during hardship, causing focus on present problems and neglect of future possibilities. **In simple terms:** Hard times shrink hope and blind us to tomorrow’s chances. Key Takeaway Cultivate optimism despite difficulty. Themes optimism resilience future-orientation Mood reflective encouraging Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - personal setbacks - economic downturns - health crises - career challenges Key Concepts psychology cognitive bias hope Questions to Reflect On - How can you reframe present challenges as stepping stones? - What daily habit can sustain a hopeful outlook? A Different Perspective Optimism alone cannot solve structural problems; action is also needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-time/) [Difficult times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-times/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Future Optimistically](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/future-optimistically-1797078/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Think Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-tomorrow/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow/) [Tomorrow Negatively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tomorrow-negatively-1797077/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) [Tough times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-times/) ## Related quotes > [Considering the great heritage in music that we have - the work of the giants of the past, the present, and the promise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-coltrane/considering-the-great-heritage-in-music-that-we-have-the-work-of-the/) [John Coltrane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-coltrane/) > [“Difficult times revel true friends but also the unfaithful in your life. 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Some come from ahead and some from behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/i-learned-there-are-troubles-of-more-than-one-kind-some-come-from/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [Nelson Mandela said: 'It always seems impossible until it's done.' 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But the Scripture tells us to do just the opposite: “Count it all joy when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/human-nature-tends-to-turn-negative-in-difficult-times-but-the/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ulysses-s-grant/the-friend-in-my-adversity-i-shall-always-cherish-most/) [Ulysses S. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ulysses-s-grant/) > [“When you are friends with your storm, you dance, instead of getting blown away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-are-friends-with-your-storm-you-dance-instead-of-getting/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Affliction is a good man's shining time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/affliction-is-a-good-man-s-shining-time/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [Prosperity is a great teacher; adversity is a greater. Possession pampers the mind; privation trains and strengthens it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/prosperity-is-a-great-teacher-adversity-is-a-greater-possession/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [True friends not only support you in difficult times, but also help with a way out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/true-friends-not-only-support-you-in-difficult-times-but-also-help/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Truth of life is that in difficult times, my family was my backbone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manisha-koirala/truth-of-life-is-that-in-difficult-times-my-family-was-my-backbone/) [Manisha Koirala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manisha-koirala/) ## More by Robert H. Schuller > [Again and again, the impossible problem is solved when we see that the problem is only a tough decision waiting to be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/again-and-again-the-impossible-problem-is-solved-when-we-see-that-the/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [God's delays are not God's denials.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/god-s-delays-are-not-god-s-denials/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing perfectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/better-to-do-something-imperfectly-than-to-do-nothing-perfectly/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [To be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive self-image - from inferiority to self-esteem, from fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/to-be-born-again-means-that-we-must-be-changed-from-a-negative-to-a/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [If only we could love ourselves enough to dare to approach God, what constructive dreams he would give us! What noble possibilities God wants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/if-only-we-could-love-ourselves-enough-to-dare-to-approach-god-what/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [You can think negatively or positively. If you are a positive thinker, you will base your decisions on faith rather than fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/you-can-think-negatively-or-positively-if-you-are-a-positive-thinker/) [Robert H. 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Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [When you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/when-you-are-in-your-worst-moods-wait-be-patient-the-storm-will-pass/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [I have had more honors than I've deserved and more rewards than I expected. It can be tempting just to say, 'Well, I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/i-have-had-more-honors-than-i-ve-deserved-and-more-rewards-than-i/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [Twentieth century history of Christianity will name Oral Roberts as the voice that brought the Pentecostal movement to be taken seriously by mainline Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/twentieth-century-history-of-christianity-will-name-oral-roberts-as/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [For every mountain, there is a miracle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/for-every-mountain-there-is-a-miracle/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/spectacular-achievement-is-always-preceded-by-unspectacular/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [A mission is a place where you ask nonbelievers to come and find faith and hope and feel love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/a-mission-is-a-place-where-you-ask-nonbelievers-to-come-and-find/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) [Explore all 169 Robert H. Schuller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. 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