--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Life is difficult. Not just for me or…" description: "\"Life is difficult. Not just for me or other ALS patients. Life is difficult for everyone. Finding ways to make life meaningful and purposeful and rewar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/steve-gleason-23814_als_life-is-difficult-not-just-for-me-or-oth_3058282.jpg" --- # Life is difficult. Not just for me or other ALS patients… ![“Life is difficult. Not just for me or other ALS patients. Life is difficult for everyone. Finding ways to make life meaningful and purposeful and rewarding, doing the activities that you love and spending time with the people that you love - I think that's the meaning of this human experience.” quote by Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/steve-gleason-23814_als_life-is-difficult-not-just-for-me-or-oth_3058282.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/steve-gleason-23814_als_life-is-difficult-not-just-for-me-or-oth_3058282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3f/steve-gleason-23814_als_life-is-difficult-not-just-for-me-or-oth_3058282.jpg) > “Life is difficult. Not just for me or other ALS patients. Life is difficult for everyone. Finding ways to make life meaningful and purposeful and rewarding, doing the activities that you love and spending time with the people that you love - I think that's the meaning of this human experience.” [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s hardships are universal; meaning comes from love and purpose. **In simple terms:** Life is hard for everyone, find meaning in love. Key Takeaway Seek purpose through relationships and passions. Themes purpose love adversity Mood hopeful inspirational Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - caregiving - volunteering - personal growth Key Concepts human experience meaning making resilience Questions to Reflect On - What activities bring you joy? - How do you support loved ones in hardship? A Different Perspective Finding purpose can be overwhelming. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Human experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-experience/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Meaning of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-of-life/) [Meaningful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful/) [Meaningful life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful-life/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Spending time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending-time/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [A terminal diagnosis can really mess with your head. Honestly, it makes you want to run away to the moon. Many ALS patients want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/a-terminal-diagnosis-can-really-mess-with-your-head-honestly-it-makes/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Many ALS patients end up fading away quietly and dying. For me, this was not OK. I did not want to fade away quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/many-als-patients-end-up-fading-away-quietly-and-dying-for-me-this/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/life-is-difficult-this-is-a-great-truth-one-of-the-greatest-truths-it/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [I think life is difficult and that's that. I am not at all - absolutely not at all - interested in the pursuit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/i-think-life-is-difficult-and-that-s-that-i-am-not-at-all-absolutely/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead they moan more or less incessantly, noisily or subtly, about the enormity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/most-do-not-fully-see-this-truth-that-life-is-difficult-instead-they-2/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Life is difficult enough without Meryl Streep movies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/life-is-difficult-enough-without-meryl-streep-movies/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [“Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead they moan more or less incessantly, noisily or subtly, about the enormity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/most-do-not-fully-see-this-truth-that-life-is-difficult-instead-they/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [ “... life is difficult and painful, just by its very nature, not because we're doing it wrong \[pp. 17-18\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-boorstein/life-is-difficult-and-painful-just-by-its-very-nature-not-because-we/) [Sylvia Boorstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-boorstein/) > [Real life is difficult - some people find that hard to process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-anderson/real-life-is-difficult-some-people-find-that-hard-to-process/) [Jonathan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-anderson/) > [Life is difficult, but once you gain experience, you'll find the way to the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-difficult-but-once-you-gain-experience-you-ll-find-the-way-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THERE'S A HOPE for everyone who thinks the life is difficult , no matter what u did before and how mistakes u've made at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dina-deiranieh/there-s-a-hope-for-everyone-who-thinks-the-life-is-difficult-no/) dina deiranieh > [Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-qualifications-your-cv-are-not-your-life-though-you-will-meet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life is difficult and people are imperfect. Unable to cope with the vagaries of this world, everyone makes mistakes. True love is the ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devdutt-pattanaik/life-is-difficult-and-people-are-imperfect-unable-to-cope-with-the/) [Devdutt Pattanaik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devdutt-pattanaik/) > [Loneliness does not worry me; life is difficult enough, putting up with yourself and with your own habits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/loneliness-does-not-worry-me-life-is-difficult-enough-putting-up-with/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“Life is difficult.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/life-is-difficult/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) ## More by Steve Gleason > [I think about death all the time. I think that's a good thing because we're all going to die, and the only thing we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-think-about-death-all-the-time-i-think-that-s-a-good-thing-because/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I have moments where I miss my old self. But I think anyone can get caught up in what we used to have. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-have-moments-where-i-miss-my-old-self-but-i-think-anyone-can-get/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Typing with your fingers or thumbs is sooooo 2012. I tweeted that earlier in the year. I type with my eyes. Not only that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/typing-with-your-fingers-or-thumbs-is-sooooo-2012-i-tweeted-that/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I believe happiness is a choice. Some days it is a very difficult choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-believe-happiness-is-a-choice-some-days-it-is-a-very-difficult/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I'm afraid to walk in public, because people look at me. But I'm not going to stop. I'm afraid because if I want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-m-afraid-to-walk-in-public-because-people-look-at-me-but-i-m-not/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I look at the human life like an experiment. Every new moment, every new experience, tragic or otherwise, is an opportunity to gain a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-look-at-the-human-life-like-an-experiment-every-new-moment-every/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Through adversity we find our heroes...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/through-adversity-we-find-our-heroes/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [I have been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). It's a terminal disease with an average lifespan of two to five years post-diagnosis, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/i-have-been-diagnosed-with-amyotrophic-lateral-sclerosis-als-it-s-a/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [We all have a timeline. Most of us don't live like we have a timeline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/we-all-have-a-timeline-most-of-us-don-t-live-like-we-have-a-timeline/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [If we have a purpose in life beyond being a cog in the human machine, mine is to help inspire people and that's pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/if-we-have-a-purpose-in-life-beyond-being-a-cog-in-the-human-machine/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [The increased rate of brain disease in the NFL population is caused by the way the game is played within the rules.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/the-increased-rate-of-brain-disease-in-the-nfl-population-is-caused/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [To cure ALS medically is not economical. The realities are that it's difficult to find funding for research for a medical cure. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/to-cure-als-medically-is-not-economical-the-realities-are-that-it-s/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [To have a statue of you up 100 years from now at the Superdome, I think that's amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/to-have-a-statue-of-you-up-100-years-from-now-at-the-superdome-i/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [Many ALS patients end up fading away quietly and dying. For me, this was not OK. I did not want to fade away quietly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/many-als-patients-end-up-fading-away-quietly-and-dying-for-me-this/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) > [The film 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,' based the book of the same name, has a line that enlightens and comforts me. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-gleason/the-film-the-diving-bell-and-the-butterfly-based-the-book-of-the-same/) [Steve Gleason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) [Explore all 25 Steve Gleason quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-gleason/) ## More Als quotes > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [You can't ignore reality. You won't wake up one morning and find that the Arabs of Umm al-Faham have become part of Palestine and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ami-ayalon/you-can-t-ignore-reality-you-won-t-wake-up-one-morning-and-find-that/) [Ami Ayalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ami-ayalon/) > [Without a vision there is no possibility of creating something larger than what al-ready exists. An entrepreneur has to be able to bring something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/without-a-vision-there-is-no-possibility-of-creating-something-larger/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > ['Constitutional' is just a real pip of a word. Positively rolls off the tongue. In fact, it's downright fun to say. 'Con-stit-too-shun-al.' It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/constitutional-is-just-a-real-pip-of-a-word-positively-rolls-off-the/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [Everybody who I ever cared about has told me that they like my music: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Al Green, The Spinners, Smokey Robinson.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/everybody-who-i-ever-cared-about-has-told-me-that-they-like-my-music/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [Paraphrased: The way of al-Junayd includes among other things abstaining constantly from resisting God Most High in whatever happens to one, whether good or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-ata-allah/paraphrased-the-way-of-al-junayd-includes-among-other-things/) [Ibn Ata Allah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-ata-allah/) > [For Al Gore and Paul Ehrlich and Co., whatever the problem, the solution is always the same. Whether it's global cooling, global warming, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/for-al-gore-and-paul-ehrlich-and-co-whatever-the-problem-the-solution/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [Barack Obama became president, and he abandoned Iraq. He left, and when he left Al Qaida was done for. ISIS was created because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/barack-obama-became-president-and-he-abandoned-iraq-he-left-and-when/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [USC is the National Champion like Al Gore is the President of the United States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-emmert/usc-is-the-national-champion-like-al-gore-is-the-president-of-the/) [Mark Emmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-emmert/) > [Critics have stepped up their attacks on the President for authorizing the National Security Agency to listen to international communications of known al Qaeda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-mcclellan/critics-have-stepped-up-their-attacks-on-the-president-for/) [Scott McClellan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-mcclellan/) > [ The heart becomes sick, as the body becomes sick, and its remedy is al-Tawbah (repentance) and protection \[from transgression\]. It becomes rusty as a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/the-heart-becomes-sick-as-the-body-becomes-sick-and-its-remedy-is-al/) [Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-qayyim-al-jawziyya/) > [Bin Laden was, though, a product of a monumental miscalculation by western security agencies. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-cook/bin-laden-was-though-a-product-of-a-monumental-miscalculation-by/) [Robin Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-cook/) > [ This war \[in Syria\] is going to support Al-Qaeda and the same people that killed Americans in the 11th of September. The second thing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bashar-al-assad/this-war-in-syria-is-going-to-support-al-qaeda-and-the-same-people/) [Bashar al-Assad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bashar-al-assad/) > [Courageous? Courageous would have been admitting weakness and leaving Dauntless, no matter what shame accompanied it. Pride is what killed Al, and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/courageous-courageous-would-have-been-admitting-weakness-and-leaving/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [And I, the former mystic, was thinking: Yes, man is stronger, greater than God. When Adam and Eve deceived You, You chased them from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/and-i-the-former-mystic-was-thinking-yes-man-is-stronger-greater-than/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) Browse all 894 Als quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Life is difficult. Not just for me or other ALS patients. Life is difficult for everyone. 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