--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: ... they always tell us it's getting to…" description: "\"... they always tell us it's getting to the top that's hard. Climbing's the easy part. Sliding down the other side, that's the hard part.\" — Susan Dunlap" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/susan-dunlap-67197_climbing_they-always-tell-us-it-s-getting-to-the_334467.jpg" --- # ... they always tell us it's getting to the top that's… ![“... they always tell us it's getting to the top that's hard. Climbing's the easy part. Sliding down the other side, that's the hard part.” quote by Susan Dunlap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/susan-dunlap-67197_climbing_they-always-tell-us-it-s-getting-to-the_334467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/susan-dunlap-67197_climbing_they-always-tell-us-it-s-getting-to-the_334467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/289/susan-dunlap-67197_climbing_they-always-tell-us-it-s-getting-to-the_334467.jpg) > “... they always tell us it's getting to the top that's hard. Climbing's the easy part. Sliding down the other side, that's the hard part.” Susan Dunlap ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success is easy to achieve, but maintaining it and handling its consequences is harder. **In simple terms:** Winning is simple, staying on top is tough. Key Takeaway Focus on resilience after achievement. Themes success challenge resilience growth Mood motivational cautious Type advice reflective When to use this quote - career advancement - personal goals - leadership roles Key Concepts sustaining achievement dealing with consequences long‑term planning Questions to Reflect On - What strategies help you sustain success? - How do you handle setbacks after reaching a goal? A Different Perspective Hard work alone doesn’t guarantee lasting success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing/) [Ladder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ladder/) ## Related quotes > [Have you been called to go out on a limb for God? You can bet it won't be easy. Limb-climbing has never been easy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/have-you-been-called-to-go-out-on-a-limb-for-god-you-can-bet-it-won-t/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [As long as I can keep pushing on and climbing the ladder, then that's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-bamford/as-long-as-i-can-keep-pushing-on-and-climbing-the-ladder-then-that-s/) [Patrick Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-bamford/) > [Step by step, one by one, higher and higher. Step by step, rung by rung, climbing Jacob's ladder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/step-by-step-one-by-one-higher-and-higher-step-by-step-rung-by-rung/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [Races always are good to show where you are reaching in your training as well as to keep you sharpened. Every race, in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rudisha/races-always-are-good-to-show-where-you-are-reaching-in-your-training/) [David Rudisha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rudisha/) > [I work very slowly. It's like building a ladder, where you're building your own ladder rung by rung, and you're climbing the ladder. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-work-very-slowly-it-s-like-building-a-ladder-where-you-re-building/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“However, for the man who studies to gain insight , books and studies are merely rungs of the ladder on which he climbs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/however-for-the-man-who-studies-to-gain-insight-books-and-studies-are/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [Sometimes you got to get knocked down, but there's a lot more satisfaction climbing the ladder again when you've been knocked off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-boone/sometimes-you-got-to-get-knocked-down-but-there-s-a-lot-more/) [Aaron Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-boone/) > [Start climbing the stairs without thinking how steep are the stairs or how many stairs are there!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/start-climbing-the-stairs-without-thinking-how-steep-are-the-stairs/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“No matter how great you ‘think’ you are or how successful you've become. Never forget those who have lifted you up. Never forget life's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-murphy/no-matter-how-great-you-think-you-are-or-how-successful-you-ve-become/) [James A. Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-murphy/) > [I love finding something. For me it's not just about the athletic challenge, it's about finding new things. When I'm not doing that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sharma/i-love-finding-something-for-me-it-s-not-just-about-the-athletic/) [Chris Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sharma/) > [You cannot get to the top by sitting on your bottom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cannot-get-to-the-top-by-sitting-on-your-bottom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put plainly, China seems determined to steal its way up the economic ladder, at our expense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-a-wray/put-plainly-china-seems-determined-to-steal-its-way-up-the-economic/) [Christopher A. Wray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-a-wray/) > [Normally, it's more efficient to climb fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ondra/normally-it-s-more-efficient-to-climb-fast/) [Adam Ondra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ondra/) > [The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to use the stairs... one step at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-girard/the-elevator-to-success-is-out-of-order-you-ll-have-to-use-the-stairs/) [Joe Girard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-girard/) > [It's sort of the American way to go up and down the ladder, maybe several times in a lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-stewart/it-s-sort-of-the-american-way-to-go-up-and-down-the-ladder-maybe/) [Martha Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-stewart/) ## More by Susan Dunlap > [Passion, I've found, is not so attractive to the observer as to the participants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-dunlap/passion-i-ve-found-is-not-so-attractive-to-the-observer-as-to-the/) Susan Dunlap > [Never do today what you can put off till tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. Follow-up is the answer to a bureaucrat's prayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-dunlap/never-do-today-what-you-can-put-off-till-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-and/) Susan Dunlap > [Youth and nepotism, the twin horsemen of Hollywood!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-dunlap/youth-and-nepotism-the-twin-horsemen-of-hollywood/) Susan Dunlap Explore all 4 Susan Dunlap quotes ## More Climbing quotes > [I'm always climbing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-caldwell/i-m-always-climbing/) [Tommy Caldwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-caldwell/) > [There is nothing to do, just be. Do nothing. Be. No climbing mountains and sitting in caves. I do not even say "be yourself"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/there-is-nothing-to-do-just-be-do-nothing-be-no-climbing-mountains/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [I liked climbing trees and could often be found up one reading a book. I played games with Dad and drew maps for him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhianna-pratchett/i-liked-climbing-trees-and-could-often-be-found-up-one-reading-a-book/) [Rhianna Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhianna-pratchett/) > [Classic mountaineering grows out of a traditional romantic imagination. Its heart is the feeling, its path is blood, sweat and tears, and its restriction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wojciech-kurtyka/classic-mountaineering-grows-out-of-a-traditional-romantic/) [Wojciech Kurtyka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wojciech-kurtyka/) > [Placing my buttocks on a cold toilet seat is my climbing Mount Everest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/placing-my-buttocks-on-a-cold-toilet-seat-is-my-climbing-mount-everest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The ascent of any route begins, in dreams at least, the autumn before. Our minds ring, involuntarily, with the alluring names of mountains, aiguilles,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaston-rebuffat/the-ascent-of-any-route-begins-in-dreams-at-least-the-autumn-before/) [Gaston Rebuffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaston-rebuffat/) > [“Climbing mattered. The danger bathed the world in a halogen glow that caused everything—the sweep of the rock, the orange and yellow lichens, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/climbing-mattered-the-danger-bathed-the-world-in-a-halogen-glow-that/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [The difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-neuharth/the-difference-between-a-mountain-and-a-molehill-is-your-perspective/) [Al Neuharth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-neuharth/) > [While cares will drop off like autumn leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-muir/while-cares-will-drop-off-like-autumn-leaves/) [John Muir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-muir/) > [Climbing has worked for me in a number of ways on Capitol Hill. I'm much more inclined to look at what people do, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-udall/climbing-has-worked-for-me-in-a-number-of-ways-on-capitol-hill-i-m/) [Mark Udall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-udall/) > [I love finding something. For me it's not just about the athletic challenge, it's about finding new things. When I'm not doing that in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sharma/i-love-finding-something-for-me-it-s-not-just-about-the-athletic/) [Chris Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sharma/) > [I'm a man's man. I go out climbing and live outdoors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mccann/i-m-a-man-s-man-i-go-out-climbing-and-live-outdoors/) [Rory McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mccann/) > [The things that inform student culture are created and controlled by the unseen culture, the sociological aspects of our climbing culture, our 'me' generation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/the-things-that-inform-student-culture-are-created-and-controlled-by/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [For me, the most relevant factor in my ability to perform well on the rock has to do with my love of climbing. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-hill/for-me-the-most-relevant-factor-in-my-ability-to-perform-well-on-the/) [Lynn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-hill/) [Browse all 1,082 Climbing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "... they always tell us it's getting to the top that's hard. Climbing's the easy part. 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