--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... when things get rough, a breakthrough…" description: "\"... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.\" — Shirley MacLaine" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/shirley-maclaine-1977_breakthrough_when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is_89834.jpg" --- # ... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the… ![“... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.” quote by Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/shirley-maclaine-1977_breakthrough_when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is_89834.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/shirley-maclaine-1977_breakthrough_when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is_89834.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/shirley-maclaine-1977_breakthrough_when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is_89834.jpg) > “... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.” [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pain precedes breakthrough; enduring hardship often reveals the solution just beyond it. **In simple terms:** Pain precedes insight Key Takeaway Breakthrough follows struggle Themes resilience growth adversity transformation Mood hopeful tense Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - recovering from illness - overcoming a career setback - training for a marathon Key Concepts pain as catalyst Practical Applications - motivational coaching - rehabilitation programs Questions to Reflect On - What does the 'other side' look like for you? - Can you identify a past pain that led to a breakthrough? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breakthrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) ## Related quotes > [I mean, it gave me so much popularity, and because of TV, I got my first breakthrough. But I just enjoy doing films more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeru-bajwa/i-mean-it-gave-me-so-much-popularity-and-because-of-tv-i-got-my-first/) [Neeru Bajwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeru-bajwa/) > [You are so close. Often when you feel like you want to give up you are so close to making a huge breakthrough. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-are-so-close-often-when-you-feel-like-you-want-to-give-up-you-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My tattoos are reminders to hang in there when things get rough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/my-tattoos-are-reminders-to-hang-in-there-when-things-get-rough/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Stick by her side when things get rough. Those are the times that truly define the relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stick-by-her-side-when-things-get-rough-those-are-the-times-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And I think people become who they really are when things get rough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/and-i-think-people-become-who-they-really-are-when-things-get-rough/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [Is it not love that knows how to make smooth things rough and rough things smooth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/is-it-not-love-that-knows-how-to-make-smooth-things-rough-and-rough/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) > [Its hard to figure out who will leave you when things get rough,or who is going to stay with you every step of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazzy/its-hard-to-figure-out-who-will-leave-you-when-things-get-rough-or/) [Jazzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazzy/) > [It's the sense of duty that keeps you going sometimes when things get very, very rough. Somebody's got to do it. And if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-schwarzkopf/it-s-the-sense-of-duty-that-keeps-you-going-sometimes-when-things-get/) [Norman Schwarzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-schwarzkopf/) > [Things were rough all over, but it was better that way. That way you could tell the other guy was human too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/things-were-rough-all-over-but-it-was-better-that-way-that-way-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Love takes work. Oh sure, you can love someone without trying. But when things get rough, if you don’t love someone right down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-dane/love-takes-work-oh-sure-you-can-love-someone-without-trying-but-when/) [Lauren Dane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-dane/) > [Things are rough all over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/things-are-rough-all-over/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've been through so much, so I can understand and I'll always be there. No running away when things get rough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-been-through-so-much-so-i-can-understand-and-i-ll-always-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't give up when things get rough. Everything works out in due time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-give-up-when-things-get-rough-everything-works-out-in-due-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Things aren't always going to go your way. You wake up one day, and things are rough. But then you wake up the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-brogdon/things-aren-t-always-going-to-go-your-way-you-wake-up-one-day-and/) [Malcolm Brogdon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-brogdon/) > [When things get rough you just kind of do it yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-randle/when-things-get-rough-you-just-kind-of-do-it-yourself/) [Julius Randle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-randle/) ## More by Shirley MacLaine > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I'm too direct and too unsparingly impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-m-too-direct-and-too-unsparingly-impatient/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [The uninvestigated life is not worth living. I don't want to live that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/the-uninvestigated-life-is-not-worth-living-i-don-t-want-to-live-that/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [There's no journey worth taking except the journey through one's self. That's the most important journey you take. I found that out as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/there-s-no-journey-worth-taking-except-the-journey-through-one-s-self/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I had a video made of my recent knee operation. The doctor said it was the best movie I ever starred in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-had-a-video-made-of-my-recent-knee-operation-the-doctor-said-it-was/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Fear is concealed in smiles and flashing teeth. 'Please say you still love me,' the kings and queens are really saying. And, when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/fear-is-concealed-in-smiles-and-flashing-teeth-please-say-you-still/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Some people think I look like a sweet potato, I consider myself a spud with a heart of gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/some-people-think-i-look-like-a-sweet-potato-i-consider-myself-a-spud/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Crystals are amplifying minerals. You have a crystal in a radio - it amplifies the sound waves. You have a crystal in a television…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/crystals-are-amplifying-minerals-you-have-a-crystal-in-a-radio-it/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [“It's useless to hold a person to anything he says wile he's in love, drunk, or running for office.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/it-s-useless-to-hold-a-person-to-anything-he-says-wile-he-s-in-love/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I'd like to introduce someone who has just come into my life. I've admired him for 35 years. He's someone who represents integrity, honesty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-d-like-to-introduce-someone-who-has-just-come-into-my-life-i-ve/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/the-more-i-traveled-the-more-i-realized-that-fear-makes-strangers-of/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [If we can genuinely honor our mother and father we are not only at peace with ourselves but we can then give birth to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/if-we-can-genuinely-honor-our-mother-and-father-we-are-not-only-at/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [I do miss the stage. There's nothing like it, nothing. When I did my one-woman show and played the Palace and played the Gershwin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-do-miss-the-stage-there-s-nothing-like-it-nothing-when-i-did-my-one/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [If anything interferes with my inner peace, I will walk away. Arguments with family members. All that stuff. None of it matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/if-anything-interferes-with-my-inner-peace-i-will-walk-away-arguments/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Nothing should be permanent except struggle with the dark side within ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/nothing-should-be-permanent-except-struggle-with-the-dark-side-within/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) [Explore all 193 Shirley MacLaine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) ## More Breakthrough quotes > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [The hardware and the software used in the Breakthrough project will be compatible with other telescopes around the world, so they too can search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuri-milner/the-hardware-and-the-software-used-in-the-breakthrough-project-will/) [Yuri Milner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuri-milner/) > [Just like the breakthroughs, the bad stuff always takes you by surprise. (121)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-giles/just-like-the-breakthroughs-the-bad-stuff-always-takes-you-by/) [Gail Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-giles/) > [There are just moments when all the stars are aligned for breakthrough products.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-sculley/there-are-just-moments-when-all-the-stars-are-aligned-for/) [John Sculley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-sculley/) > [The founder of any branch must be more ingenious than the common man. However, if his achievement is not carried on by disciples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-founder-of-any-branch-must-be-more-ingenious-than-the-common-man/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [Brokenness is often the road to breakthrough. Hang in there. Your time is coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/brokenness-is-often-the-road-to-breakthrough-hang-in-there-your-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Historic changes and challenges. Breakthroughs in human knowledge and opportunity. And yet, for vast numbers across the globe, the daily realities have not altered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/historic-changes-and-challenges-breakthroughs-in-human-knowledge-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Obama is hardly the first president to seek rapprochement with our adversaries and reconciliation with our enemies, of course. But his determination to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-f-hayes/obama-is-hardly-the-first-president-to-seek-rapprochement-with-our/) [Stephen F. Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-f-hayes/) > [Tonight, after a breakthrough year for America, our economy is growing and creating jobs at the fastest pace since 1999.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/tonight-after-a-breakthrough-year-for-america-our-economy-is-growing/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Opposition is just proof that you're close to a major breakthrough keepgoing!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rev-run-2/opposition-is-just-proof-that-you-re-close-to-a-major-breakthrough/) [Rev Run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rev-run-2/) > [ Innovation is not a big breakthrough invention every time. Innovation is a constant thing. But if you don't have an innovative company \[team\], coming… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-welch/innovation-is-not-a-big-breakthrough-invention-every-time-innovation/) [Jack Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-welch/) > [“A reset isn't going backwards; it's clearing the path to move forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-rivera/a-reset-isn-t-going-backwards-it-s-clearing-the-path-to-move-forward/) [Alex Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-rivera/) > [The consensus we arrived with States for amending the Constitution to implement GST is a major breakthrough. This alone has the potential to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-consensus-we-arrived-with-states-for-amending-the-constitution-to/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Conceivably, blockchains could rely on a number of standards above the Internet's existing standards to allow a smooth bridging from one layer to another.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mougayar/conceivably-blockchains-could-rely-on-a-number-of-standards-above-the/) [William Mougayar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mougayar/) > [“He left the hearing feeling liberated, lighter, and more transparent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-critchlow/he-left-the-hearing-feeling-liberated-lighter-and-more-transparent/) George Critchlow [Browse all 507 Breakthrough quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shirley MacLaine" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is-just-on-the-other-side-of-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breakthrough" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is-just-on-the-other-side-of-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/shirley-maclaine-1977_breakthrough_when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is_89834.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/shirley-maclaine-1977_breakthrough_when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is_89834.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/69f/shirley-maclaine-1977_breakthrough_when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is_89834.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“... when things get rough, a breakthrough is just on the other side of the pain.” — Shirley MacLaine", "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": "Shirley MacLaine", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "... when things get rough, a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is-just-on-the-other-side-of-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/when-things-get-rough-a-breakthrough-is-just-on-the-other-side-of-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 } } ] } ```