--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The very greatest things - great…" description: "\"The very greatest things - great thoughts, discoveries, inventions - have usually been nurtured in hardship, often pondered over in sorrow, and at leng..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/samuel-smiles-2037_adversity_the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts_1328360.png" --- # The very greatest things - great thoughts, discoveries… ![“The very greatest things - great thoughts, discoveries, inventions - have usually been nurtured in hardship, often pondered over in sorrow, and at length established with difficulty.” quote by Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/samuel-smiles-2037_adversity_the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts_1328360.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/samuel-smiles-2037_adversity_the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts_1328360.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/samuel-smiles-2037_adversity_the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts_1328360.png) > “The very greatest things - great thoughts, discoveries, inventions - have usually been nurtured in hardship, often pondered over in sorrow, and at length established with difficulty.” [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) ## 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 arise from hardship, sorrow, and sustained effort. **In simple terms:** Hardship fuels greatness. Key Takeaway Embrace difficulty to create breakthroughs. Themes perseverance innovation hardship Mood determined hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - scientific research - creative arts Key Concepts historical self-help Questions to Reflect On - How do you transform struggle into progress? - What support systems help you persist? A Different Perspective Not all hardship leads to success; support matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Difficulty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficulty/) [Discovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovery/) [Greatest things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-things/) [Hardship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardship/) [Hardship Pondered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hardship-pondered-4448565/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Length](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/length/) [Nurtured Hardship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurtured-hardship-4448566/) [Pondered Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pondered-sorrow-4448567/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) ## Related quotes > [The greatest things in the world are brought about by other things which we count as nothing: little causes we overlook but which at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/the-greatest-things-in-the-world-are-brought-about-by-other-things/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [Ask for a valiant heart which has banished the fear of death, which looks upon length of days as one of the least of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/ask-for-a-valiant-heart-which-has-banished-the-fear-of-death-which/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Length of years is no proper test of length of life. A man's life is to be measured by what he does in it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/length-of-years-is-no-proper-test-of-length-of-life-a-man-s-life-is/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [It is the close observation of little things which is the secret of success in business, in art, in science, and in every pursuit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/it-is-the-close-observation-of-little-things-which-is-the-secret-of-2/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [“It does not matter where one comes from, one can achieve even the greatest of things in life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ndiritu-wahome/it-does-not-matter-where-one-comes-from-one-can-achieve-even-the/) [Ndiritu Wahome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ndiritu-wahome/) > [Working with Kanye is one of the greatest things ever. It's also one of the most nerve-wracking things ever. He's, like, the most critical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/working-with-kanye-is-one-of-the-greatest-things-ever-it-s-also-one/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [To work with one of your heroes is the greatest things you can ever hope for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/to-work-with-one-of-your-heroes-is-the-greatest-things-you-can-ever/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [Some of the greatest things, as I understand, they have come about by serendipity, the greatest discoveries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/some-of-the-greatest-things-as-i-understand-they-have-come-about-by/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) > [One of the greatest things about my job is that I can enjoy all the successes of a show, but can still go out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-paulsen/one-of-the-greatest-things-about-my-job-is-that-i-can-enjoy-all-the/) [Rob Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-paulsen/) > [Each person holds so much power within themselves that needs to be let out. Sometimes they just need a little nudge, a little direction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/each-person-holds-so-much-power-within-themselves-that-needs-to-be/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [ I never knew that \["Hank Zipzer"\] would happen in my life. It is one of the greatest things. It is like a gift from… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/i-never-knew-that-hank-zipzer-would-happen-in-my-life-it-is-one-of/) [Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/) > [“Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lao-tzu/therefore-the-sage-while-he-never-does-what-is-great-is-able-on-that/) [Lao Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lao-tzu/) > [It is a lot of responsibility. But I enjoy being a father. That's one of the best parts of my life. I feel like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-i/it-is-a-lot-of-responsibility-but-i-enjoy-being-a-father-that-s-one/) [T.I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-i/) > [One of the greatest things that Apple and Jobs were very good at doing was daring to do the very different thing. It's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/one-of-the-greatest-things-that-apple-and-jobs-were-very-good-at/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [I now realize that a broken back, failed surgery, and Stage IV cancer are three of the greatest things that ever happened to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-willis/i-now-realize-that-a-broken-back-failed-surgery-and-stage-iv-cancer/) [Brad Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-willis/) ## More by Samuel Smiles > [Biographies of great, but especially of good men are most instructive and useful as helps, guides, and incentives to others. Some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/biographies-of-great-but-especially-of-good-men-are-most-instructive/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Diligence, above all, is the mother of good luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/diligence-above-all-is-the-mother-of-good-luck/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The women of the poorer classes make sacrifices, and run risks, and bear privations, and exercise patience and kindness to a degree that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-women-of-the-poorer-classes-make-sacrifices-and-run-risks-and/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Self-respect is the noblest garment with which a man can clothe himself, the most elevating feeling with which the mind can be inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/self-respect-is-the-noblest-garment-with-which-a-man-can-clothe/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The experience gathered from books, though often valuable, is but of the nature of learning; whereas, the experience gained from actual life is of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-experience-gathered-from-books-though-often-valuable-is-but-of/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The apprenticeship of difficulty is one which the greatest of men have had to serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-apprenticeship-of-difficulty-is-one-which-the-greatest-of-men/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the individual; and, exhibited in the lives of many, it constitutes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-spirit-of-self-help-is-the-root-of-all-genuine-growth-in-the/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The wise man... if he would live at peace with others, he will bear and forbear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-wise-man-if-he-would-live-at-peace-with-others-he-will-bear-and/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Those who are the most persistent, and work in the true spirit, will invariably be the most successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/those-who-are-the-most-persistent-and-work-in-the-true-spirit-will/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The iron rail proved a magicians' road. It virtually reduced England to a sixth of its size. It brought the country nearer to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-iron-rail-proved-a-magicians-road-it-virtually-reduced-england-to/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [This extraordinary metal, the soul of every manufacture, and the mainspring perhaps of civilised society. Of iron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/this-extraordinary-metal-the-soul-of-every-manufacture-and-the/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Man cannot aspire if he looked down; if he rise, he must look up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/man-cannot-aspire-if-he-looked-down-if-he-rise-he-must-look-up/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The life of a good man is at the same time the most eloquent lesson of virtue and the most severe reproof of vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-life-of-a-good-man-is-at-the-same-time-the-most-eloquent-lesson/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [It is a grand old name, that of gentleman, and has been recognized as a rank and power in all stages of society. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/it-is-a-grand-old-name-that-of-gentleman-and-has-been-recognized-as-a/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [“Many are the lives of men unwritten, which have nevertheless as powerfully influenced civilization and progress as the more fortunate Great whose names are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/many-are-the-lives-of-men-unwritten-which-have-nevertheless-as/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) [Explore all 189 Samuel Smiles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) ## More Adversity quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [When we have public success we also have private struggles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deion-sanders/when-we-have-public-success-we-also-have-private-struggles/) [Deion Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deion-sanders/) > [“The threats that resurfaced in the past 10 years were not an aberration. Al Qaeda and terrorism or one such threat, but it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-friedman/the-threats-that-resurfaced-in-the-past-10-years-were-not-an/) [George Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-friedman/) > [He who is content with what has been done is an obstacle in the path of progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/he-who-is-content-with-what-has-been-done-is-an-obstacle-in-the-path/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“Friction is necessary. Ease of life leads to complacency and the atrophy of the human will and spirit. Within our struggles lives our strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/friction-is-necessary-ease-of-life-leads-to-complacency-and-the/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [“Every adversity is just another opportunity to excel a little more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-templet/every-adversity-is-just-another-opportunity-to-excel-a-little-more/) [Michel Templet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-templet/) > [“Just because she doesn't talk about it, doesn't mean she isn't feeling it. She hurts, but she won't wear it on her sleeve. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/just-because-she-doesn-t-talk-about-it-doesn-t-mean-she-isn-t-feeling/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-buckham-kennedy/every-trial-endured-and-weathered-in-the-right-spirit-makes-a-soul/) [James Buckham Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-buckham-kennedy/) > [Honesty, by evil fortune tried, Finds in adversity the seed of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/honesty-by-evil-fortune-tried-finds-in-adversity-the-seed-of-praise/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [“Struggles are not associated to a particular people or creed, everyone struggles, not for the same reasons, but each has a personal struggle at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-chirisa/struggles-are-not-associated-to-a-particular-people-or-creed-everyone/) [Wayne Chirisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-chirisa/) > [“Watch a man in times of adversity to discover what kind of man he is; for then at last words of truth are drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/watch-a-man-in-times-of-adversity-to-discover-what-kind-of-man-he-is/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Life is not about less mistakes but about more trials”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-e-sever/life-is-not-about-less-mistakes-but-about-more-trials/) [S.E. SEVER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-e-sever/) > [Show your contempt for the problem and your concern for the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/show-your-contempt-for-the-problem-and-your-concern-for-the-person/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [When everything feels like an uphill struggle, just think of the view from the top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-everything-feels-like-an-uphill-struggle-just-think-of-the-view/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 5,001 Adversity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The very greatest things - great thoughts, discoveries, inventions - have usually been nurtured in hardship, often pondered over in sorrow, and at length established with difficulty.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Smiles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts-discoveries-inventions-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts-discoveries-inventions-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/samuel-smiles-2037_adversity_the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts_1328360.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/samuel-smiles-2037_adversity_the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts_1328360.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/samuel-smiles-2037_adversity_the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts_1328360.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The very greatest things - great thoughts, discoveries, inventions - have usually been nurtured in hardship…” — Samuel Smiles", "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": "Samuel Smiles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The very greatest things - great...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts-discoveries-inventions-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-very-greatest-things-great-thoughts-discoveries-inventions-have/#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 } } ] } ```