--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Soldiers seem so durable, resilient, and…" description: "\"“Soldiers seem so durable, resilient, and so heroic in war novels. On the television screen they're afraid of nothing. I wonder if I have that same cou..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ryan-smithson-36758_basic-training_soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-s_2151466.jpg" --- # Soldiers seem so durable, resilient, and so heroic in war… ![“Soldiers seem so durable, resilient, and so heroic in war novels. On the television screen they're afraid of nothing. I wonder if I have that same courage. Basic training is supposed to teach us bravery and fortitude.” quote by Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ryan-smithson-36758_basic-training_soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-s_2151466.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ryan-smithson-36758_basic-training_soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-s_2151466.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ryan-smithson-36758_basic-training_soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-s_2151466.jpg) > ““Soldiers seem so durable, resilient, and so heroic in war novels. On the television screen they're afraid of nothing. I wonder if I have that same courage. Basic training is supposed to teach us bravery and fortitude.”” [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. War novels glorify soldiers, but real courage is built through training and experience. **In simple terms:** Courage comes from training, not myths. Key Takeaway Seek real growth, not fantasy. Themes courage training reality Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - boot camp - leadership development - personal challenge Key Concepts psychology of heroism military culture Questions to Reflect On - Do you compare yourself to fictional heroes? - What does true bravery look like for you? A Different Perspective Heroic images may set unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basic training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-training/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Bravery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery/) [Bravery Fortitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bravery-fortitude-4524844/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Basic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-basic-4428728/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Teach Bravery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teach-bravery-4524845/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Courage is the basic virtue for everyone so long as he continues to grow, to move ahead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rollo-may/courage-is-the-basic-virtue-for-everyone-so-long-as-he-continues-to/) [Rollo May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rollo-may/) > [“I just wrote as much as I could for several pages. Every night I wrote her novels and every morning I mailed them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/i-just-wrote-as-much-as-i-could-for-several-pages-every-night-i-wrote/) [Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/) > [“When Jamie left for basic training I knew exactly what I had to do. Of course, I knew what it feels like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/when-jamie-left-for-basic-training-i-knew-exactly-what-i-had-to-do-of/) [Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/) > [Basic training was hard, but I made it - because I wanted to be the best me. Sometimes you have to learn that being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-middleton/basic-training-was-hard-but-i-made-it-because-i-wanted-to-be-the-best/) [Ant Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-middleton/) > [To serve in the modern military - or to be the uncle, parent or sibling of one who does - is to treat the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/to-serve-in-the-modern-military-or-to-be-the-uncle-parent-or-sibling/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [I didn't mind basic training. It taught me that something that seems impossible at the start can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-didn-t-mind-basic-training-it-taught-me-that-something-that-seems/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [“Roberts and Kyllonen (1999) explored the relation of morningness to cognitive ability. Using 420 U.S. Air Force recruits in the sixth week of basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-howard/roberts-and-kyllonen-1999-explored-the-relation-of-morningness-to/) [Pierce Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-howard/) > [In basic training we had been told to watch out for Japanese spies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-adams/in-basic-training-we-had-been-told-to-watch-out-for-japanese-spies/) [Jack Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-adams/) > [“Obedience is something you have to learn. The basic training in obedience has to start in childhood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/obedience-is-something-you-have-to-learn-the-basic-training-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Men who have survived close-quarters killing know that humans are possessed of a deep-seated, innate reluctance to kill their own species. I believe there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/men-who-have-survived-close-quarters-killing-know-that-humans-are/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [I came to my first Colts training camp in July of 1950, and it was murder, absolute murder. We had a coach named Clem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-donovan/i-came-to-my-first-colts-training-camp-in-july-of-1950-and-it-was/) [Art Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-donovan/) > [After a hard day of basic training, you could eat a rattlesnake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/after-a-hard-day-of-basic-training-you-could-eat-a-rattlesnake/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [“Basic technical training is, of course, useful. But to treat it as anything more than that is to lock students into technology that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/basic-technical-training-is-of-course-useful-but-to-treat-it-as/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [“Every year thousands of dogs are abandoned to shelters because of behavior problems. And these are things that can be corrected with just basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-kihn/every-year-thousands-of-dogs-are-abandoned-to-shelters-because-of/) [Martin Kihn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-kihn/) > [“In July, 1950, one news commentator rather plaintively remarked that warfare had not changed so much, after all. For some reason, ground troops still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach-2/in-july-1950-one-news-commentator-rather-plaintively-remarked-that/) [T.R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach-2/) ## More by Ryan Smithson > [“High school was so typical and predictable. Everyone here was so occupied with discovering the definition of cool. To some, cool was Abercrombie and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/high-school-was-so-typical-and-predictable-everyone-here-was-so/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [“This isn't a weapon cache-search mission during which we kick down doors looking for suspects. We pour concrete lands where IED exploded to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/this-isn-t-a-weapon-cache-search-mission-during-which-we-kick-down/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [“The way our efforts are shunned, at first we don't care. In a way it makes us proud. It's humility. And selfless service is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/the-way-our-efforts-are-shunned-at-first-we-don-t-care-in-a-way-it/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [ “For me, the future was a complete paradox. One one hand \[..\] teachers were pushing that 'know what you want to do for the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/for-me-the-future-was-a-complete-paradox-one-one-hand-teachers-were/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [“I guess that's one good thing about dying young: you're remembered for your purity, vigor and spontaneity. Dying young you're remembered for your youth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/i-guess-that-s-one-good-thing-about-dying-young-you-re-remembered-for/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [“What does crying ever really do for us? It doesn't solve our problems. It doesn't make us run faster or shoot better. If anything,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/what-does-crying-ever-really-do-for-us-it-doesn-t-solve-our-problems/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [ “We're tired of the nagging and debating that adults do so well. We don't care anymore \[..\] the kids don't write to us about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/we-re-tired-of-the-nagging-and-debating-that-adults-do-so-well-we-don/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [ “\[...\] But my denial doesn't matter, because duty comes first.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/but-my-denial-doesn-t-matter-because-duty-comes-first/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [“But courage is also means being afraid, accepting a fear of the unknown. Anyone who claims to be unafraid as they sit in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/but-courage-is-also-means-being-afraid-accepting-a-fear-of-the/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [“There's a certain romanticism that comes with being young. Young men and women just released from high school are ready to take on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/there-s-a-certain-romanticism-that-comes-with-being-young-young-men/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) > [“If I don't do something who will?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/if-i-don-t-do-something-who-will/) [Ryan Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) [Explore all 12 Ryan Smithson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/) ## More Basic training quotes > [“I just wrote as much as I could for several pages. Every night I wrote her novels and every morning I mailed them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/i-just-wrote-as-much-as-i-could-for-several-pages-every-night-i-wrote/) [Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/) > [“Every year thousands of dogs are abandoned to shelters because of behavior problems. And these are things that can be corrected with just basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-kihn/every-year-thousands-of-dogs-are-abandoned-to-shelters-because-of/) [Martin Kihn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-kihn/) > [“Basic technical training is, of course, useful. But to treat it as anything more than that is to lock students into technology that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/basic-technical-training-is-of-course-useful-but-to-treat-it-as/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [After a hard day of basic training, you could eat a rattlesnake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/after-a-hard-day-of-basic-training-you-could-eat-a-rattlesnake/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [I came to my first Colts training camp in July of 1950, and it was murder, absolute murder. We had a coach named Clem…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-donovan/i-came-to-my-first-colts-training-camp-in-july-of-1950-and-it-was/) [Art Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-donovan/) > [“Men who have survived close-quarters killing know that humans are possessed of a deep-seated, innate reluctance to kill their own species. I believe there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/men-who-have-survived-close-quarters-killing-know-that-humans-are/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [“Obedience is something you have to learn. The basic training in obedience has to start in childhood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/obedience-is-something-you-have-to-learn-the-basic-training-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In basic training we had been told to watch out for Japanese spies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-adams/in-basic-training-we-had-been-told-to-watch-out-for-japanese-spies/) [Jack Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-adams/) > [“Roberts and Kyllonen (1999) explored the relation of morningness to cognitive ability. Using 420 U.S. Air Force recruits in the sixth week of basic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierce-howard/roberts-and-kyllonen-1999-explored-the-relation-of-morningness-to/) [Pierce Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierce-howard/) > [I didn't mind basic training. It taught me that something that seems impossible at the start can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/i-didn-t-mind-basic-training-it-taught-me-that-something-that-seems/) [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/) > [To serve in the modern military - or to be the uncle, parent or sibling of one who does - is to treat the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/to-serve-in-the-modern-military-or-to-be-the-uncle-parent-or-sibling/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [Basic training was hard, but I made it - because I wanted to be the best me. Sometimes you have to learn that being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ant-middleton/basic-training-was-hard-but-i-made-it-because-i-wanted-to-be-the-best/) [Ant Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ant-middleton/) > [“When Jamie left for basic training I knew exactly what I had to do. Of course, I knew what it feels like to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-galloway/when-jamie-left-for-basic-training-i-knew-exactly-what-i-had-to-do-of/) [Noah Galloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-galloway/) > [“In July, 1950, one news commentator rather plaintively remarked that warfare had not changed so much, after all. For some reason, ground troops still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-fehrenbach-2/in-july-1950-one-news-commentator-rather-plaintively-remarked-that/) [T.R. Fehrenbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-fehrenbach-2/) > [ For the gun work, I had more of the basic training from the previous \[movie John Wick\] and the weapon work I have done… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keanu-reeves/for-the-gun-work-i-had-more-of-the-basic-training-from-the-previous/) [Keanu Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keanu-reeves/) [Browse all 38 Basic training quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-training/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Soldiers seem so durable, resilient, and so heroic in war novels. On the television screen they're afraid of nothing. I wonder if I have that same courage. Basic training is supposed to teach us bravery and fortitude.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryan Smithson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-so-heroic-in-war-novels-on-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basic training" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-so-heroic-in-war-novels-on-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ryan-smithson-36758_basic-training_soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-s_2151466.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ryan-smithson-36758_basic-training_soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-s_2151466.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/647/ryan-smithson-36758_basic-training_soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-s_2151466.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Soldiers seem so durable, resilient, and so heroic in war novels. On the television screen they're afraid of…” — Ryan Smithson", "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": "Ryan Smithson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-smithson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Soldiers seem so durable, resilient, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-so-heroic-in-war-novels-on-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-smithson/soldiers-seem-so-durable-resilient-and-so-heroic-in-war-novels-on-the/#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 } } ] } ```