--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're trying to get something done…" description: "\"If you're trying to get something done, there will always be people who don't want to see you get something done, or who have a stake in the status quo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/susan-rice-4480_able_if-you-re-trying-to-get-something-done-t_998549.png" --- # If you're trying to get something done, there will always… ![“If you're trying to get something done, there will always be people who don't want to see you get something done, or who have a stake in the status quo. And if they approach that through ad hominem criticism of you, you've got to have enough confidence and thickness of skin to be able to endure.” quote by Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/susan-rice-4480_able_if-you-re-trying-to-get-something-done-t_998549.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/susan-rice-4480_able_if-you-re-trying-to-get-something-done-t_998549.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91b/susan-rice-4480_able_if-you-re-trying-to-get-something-done-t_998549.png) > “If you're trying to get something done, there will always be people who don't want to see you get something done, or who have a stake in the status quo. And if they approach that through ad hominem criticism of you, you've got to have enough confidence and thickness of skin to be able to endure.” [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People resistant to change often attack the messenger; resilience is needed to withstand personal criticism while pursuing goals. **In simple terms:** Resilient people ignore personal attacks when pushing progress. Key Takeaway Build confidence and thick skin. Themes resilience change criticism Mood determined reflective Type motivational advisory When to use this quote - leadership - activism - policy reform - organizational change Key Concepts psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate constructive criticism from ad hominem attacks? - What strategies strengthen your emotional resilience? A Different Perspective Critics may be motivated by fear, not merit, making it hard to discern constructive feedback. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Confidence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) [Want to see you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-to-see-you/) ## Related quotes > [I can't deal with criticism very well. I've already got it from one angle. I don't need it from anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-can-t-deal-with-criticism-very-well-i-ve-already-got-it-from-one/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [The thing with 'No Man's Land' is not to see it, but how to make people to go to see it. The one negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danis-tanovic/the-thing-with-no-man-s-land-is-not-to-see-it-but-how-to-make-people/) [Danis Tanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danis-tanovic/) > [The older you get, the less seriously you take criticism. I've gotten to a point now where I ignore it completely. It's just not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lucas/the-older-you-get-the-less-seriously-you-take-criticism-i-ve-gotten/) [George Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lucas/) > [People are more interested in reading bombastic ideas, whether they're positive or negative. Part of me has sort of lost interest in doing criticism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-klosterman/people-are-more-interested-in-reading-bombastic-ideas-whether-they-re/) [Chuck Klosterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-klosterman/) > [Most people would have given up when faced with all the criticism I've received over the years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ellis/most-people-would-have-given-up-when-faced-with-all-the-criticism-i/) [Albert Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ellis/) > [“An ad hominem attack against an intellectual, not against an idea, is highly flattering. It indicates that the person does not have anything intelligent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/an-ad-hominem-attack-against-an-intellectual-not-against-an-idea-is/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Nevertheless, they boarded The Purdue Victory and sailed out of Boston harbor, provided for against all inclemencies but these they were leaving behind, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gaddis/nevertheless-they-boarded-the-purdue-victory-and-sailed-out-of-boston/) [William Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gaddis/) > [Reading a brief filled with ad hominem attacks is like listening to my kids fight, except that I have to wait until we're in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-kethledge/reading-a-brief-filled-with-ad-hominem-attacks-is-like-listening-to/) [Raymond Kethledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-kethledge/) > [Debates about housing dynamics are often vague, anectdotal, and ad hominem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/debates-about-housing-dynamics-are-often-vague-anectdotal-and-ad/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [We all resort to the ad hominem from time to time: in human affairs, it is difficult to avoid it, and probably not desirable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dalrymple/we-all-resort-to-the-ad-hominem-from-time-to-time-in-human-affairs-it/) [Theodore Dalrymple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dalrymple/) > [...associational ad hominem attacks remain the left's favorite rhetorical strategy for undermining opponents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-goldberg/associational-ad-hominem-attacks-remain-the-left-s-favorite/) [Jonah Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-goldberg/) > [“Ad hominem is a notoriously weak logical argument. And is usually used to distract the focus of a discussion - to move it from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/ad-hominem-is-a-notoriously-weak-logical-argument-and-is-usually-used/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [Topical-sketch writing were incredibly rational and well reasoned: don't do a joke if the subject doesn't deserve it. An ad hominem attack on someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schur/topical-sketch-writing-were-incredibly-rational-and-well-reasoned-don/) [Michael Schur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schur/) > [“Such a principled disregard of ad hominem evidence is a characteristically modern prejudice of professional philosophers. For most Greek and Roman thinkers from Plato…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-miller/such-a-principled-disregard-of-ad-hominem-evidence-is-a/) [James Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-miller/) > [Political correctness will die as it lived - kicking and screaming ad hominem abuse as a substitute for arguments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-mcelroy/political-correctness-will-die-as-it-lived-kicking-and-screaming-ad/) [Wendy McElroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-mcelroy/) ## More by Susan Rice > [Since I've had a career, my hair has been more or less professional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/since-i-ve-had-a-career-my-hair-has-been-more-or-less-professional/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [What I learned is that policymakers have to force consideration of actions that may not have occurred to them at the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/what-i-learned-is-that-policymakers-have-to-force-consideration-of/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I've taken my knocks here and there, but I believe my intentions are good. Doesn't mean everything I do is perfectly executed or I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-ve-taken-my-knocks-here-and-there-but-i-believe-my-intentions-are/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I'm not watching any TV shows, frankly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-not-watching-any-tv-shows-frankly/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [The United States really only accounts for about 3 percent of the economic engagement with Russia. Europe is 40 percent, and so Europe's contribution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/the-united-states-really-only-accounts-for-about-3-percent-of-the/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I am very aware of being black and female because that's what I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-am-very-aware-of-being-black-and-female-because-that-s-what-i-am/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Well, Nigeria has played a constructive role in peacekeeping in various parts of West Africa. But unless and until Nigeria itself is democratic and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/well-nigeria-has-played-a-constructive-role-in-peacekeeping-in/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I'm apologetic when I feel like I've made a mistake. And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-apologetic-when-i-feel-like-i-ve-made-a-mistake-and-when-i-have/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [People are consuming the news that is comfortable for them, not necessarily the news that is real or that they need to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/people-are-consuming-the-news-that-is-comfortable-for-them-not/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I think it's very, very important that in foreign policy and national security decision making, as in any other realm, that there be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-think-it-s-very-very-important-that-in-foreign-policy-and-national/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [There was a hateful video that was disseminated on the internet. It had nothing to do with the United States government and it's one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/there-was-a-hateful-video-that-was-disseminated-on-the-internet-it/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Well, I think by any expectation South Africa has come a tremendously long way. We've seen a society that many people thought couldn't withstand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/well-i-think-by-any-expectation-south-africa-has-come-a-tremendously/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [Can I be blunt? Yes. Can I be diplomatic? Yes. Can I concoct a mixture of vinegar and honey when the circumstances warrant? Yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/can-i-be-blunt-yes-can-i-be-diplomatic-yes-can-i-concoct-a-mixture-of/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [When my son was a mere three months old, I started working at the State Department. I was not only the youngest Assistant Secretary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/when-my-son-was-a-mere-three-months-old-i-started-working-at-the/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) > [I was conscious of the fact that it could be to my disadvantage to marry a white guy - that some folks would hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-was-conscious-of-the-fact-that-it-could-be-to-my-disadvantage-to/) [Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) [Explore all 110 Susan Rice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. 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