---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been told I was brave, or that I…"
description: "\"I've been told I was brave, or that I challenged adversity. Growing up in a middle-class family in Cardiff didn't feel that adverse.\" — Tanni Grey-Thom..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_adversity_i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-cha_942735.jpg"
---

#  I've been told I was brave, or that I challenged…

![“I've been told I was brave, or that I challenged adversity. Growing up in a middle-class family in Cardiff didn't feel that adverse.” quote by Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_adversity_i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-cha_942735.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_adversity_i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-cha_942735.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_adversity_i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-cha_942735.jpg)

> “I've been told I was brave, or that I challenged adversity. Growing up in a middle-class family in Cardiff didn't feel that adverse.”

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Bravery is often claimed, but true challenge is defined by personal context; not all hardships are equal.

**In simple terms:** Bravery depends on personal circumstances.

Key Takeaway

Recognize your own unique challenges.

Themes

self‑assessment humility perception challenge

Mood

introspective thoughtful

Type

motivational philosophical

When to use this quote

- sports career
- family expectations
- personal growth

Key Concepts

subjectivity resilience identity

Questions to Reflect On

- What does bravery mean to you personally?
- Do you compare challenges fairly?

A Different Perspective

Bravery may be overstated without context.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Brave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave/) [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/)

## Related quotes

> [Great moments are challenged by adversity, that builds character &amp; forms a respect to the true value of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/great-moments-are-challenged-by-adversity-that-builds-character-forms/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“I told her she was brave and she said, "I'm not brave, I'm in love." Ha. Same goddamn thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/i-told-her-she-was-brave-and-she-said-i-m-not-brave-i-m-in-love-ha/)

[Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/)

> [“Then I thought of how strong I have become, how secure I feel with the person I now am, and how all along the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/then-i-thought-of-how-strong-i-have-become-how-secure-i-feel-with-the/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [“He’d told himself that he was brave because he liked climbing high walls and tramped through rain forests and knew how to deal with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-harper/he-d-told-himself-that-he-was-brave-because-he-liked-climbing-high/)

Fiona Harper

> [“He told me I was breathtaking. He told me I was brave. He told me I was his.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sibylla-matilde/he-told-me-i-was-breathtaking-he-told-me-i-was-brave-he-told-me-i-was/)

[Sibylla Matilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sibylla-matilde/)

> [He told me once to be brave, and though I have stood still while knives spun toward my face and jumped off a roof,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/he-told-me-once-to-be-brave-and-though-i-have-stood-still-while/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

> [Let us be brave in the face of adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/let-us-be-brave-in-the-face-of-adversity/)

[Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/)

> [It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/it-is-courage-courage-courage-that-raises-the-blood-of-life-to/)

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

> [There's always going to be adversity in life. I saw it growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-henry/there-s-always-going-to-be-adversity-in-life-i-saw-it-growing-up/)

[Derrick Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-henry/)

> [I'm very proud of 'Every Girl's a Super Girl.' I want all girls to know that no matter what size, color, or shape, whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-siwa/i-m-very-proud-of-every-girl-s-a-super-girl-i-want-all-girls-to-know/)

[JoJo Siwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-siwa/)

> [“Victory is for the fucking brave, not the timid and excuse-riddled weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zakk-wylde/victory-is-for-the-fucking-brave-not-the-timid-and-excuse-riddled-weak/)

[Zakk Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zakk-wylde/)

> [It's always brave to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liu-yifei/it-s-always-brave-to-be-yourself/)

[Liu Yifei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liu-yifei/)

> [Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thucydides/be-convinced-that-to-be-happy-means-to-be-free-and-that-to-be-free/)

[Thucydides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thucydides/)

> [If You Love Someone, Be Brave Enough To Tell Them., Otherwise Be Brave Enough To Watch Them To Be Loved By Someone Else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/if-you-love-someone-be-brave-enough-to-tell-them-otherwise-be-brave/)

[Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/)

> [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/)

[Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/)

## More by Tanni Grey-Thompson

> [People come up to me and say 'I wouldn't want to live if I was like you.' And I say 'Actually, my life's pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/people-come-up-to-me-and-say-i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-if-i-was-like/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Every disabled person's experience is different. As a wheelchair user I can experience something different from someone who is visually impaired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/every-disabled-person-s-experience-is-different-as-a-wheelchair-user/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [I'm too much of a coward for plastic surgery, but if I could wave a magic wand and change something, it would be my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-m-too-much-of-a-coward-for-plastic-surgery-but-if-i-could-wave-a/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [When I was competing we were training 15 times a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/when-i-was-competing-we-were-training-15-times-a-week/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Twenty years in sport has given me a broad perspective on life, bringing me into contact with a variety of social issues, and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/twenty-years-in-sport-has-given-me-a-broad-perspective-on-life/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [When I started, nobody knew what the Paralympics were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/when-i-started-nobody-knew-what-the-paralympics-were/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [I remember trying to go to the cinema with my friends, so I must have been nine or 10, and being told I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-remember-trying-to-go-to-the-cinema-with-my-friends-so-i-must-have/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Perhaps we need to redefine our idea of role models; they're not always elite athletes whose success might seem too distant or unachievable. Sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/perhaps-we-need-to-redefine-our-idea-of-role-models-they-re-not/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Wheelchairs get lost or damaged during transit because some staff don't always understand how important the equipment is, or the cost of it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/wheelchairs-get-lost-or-damaged-during-transit-because-some-staff-don/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [The reality for most athletes is that they have to deal with the wrath of the media only after they have performed, not in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/the-reality-for-most-athletes-is-that-they-have-to-deal-with-the/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [I have seen first hand the vital role that the physical activity sector - with its widespread workforce of coaches, youth workers, activity professionals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-have-seen-first-hand-the-vital-role-that-the-physical-activity/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [Despite hanging up my racing wheels over a decade ago, I still get a buzz when we enter an Olympic and Paralympic year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/despite-hanging-up-my-racing-wheels-over-a-decade-ago-i-still-get-a/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [I've lost track of the amount of time I've been spoken down to, literally patted on the head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-ve-lost-track-of-the-amount-of-time-i-ve-been-spoken-down-to/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [At 70, my late father, Peter, underwent a foot amputation after surgical complications. There were suggestions that at his age being in a wheelchair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/at-70-my-late-father-peter-underwent-a-foot-amputation-after-surgical/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

> [My father was an architect and I grew up knowing more about planning regulations and the constraints of old buildings than most children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/my-father-was-an-architect-and-i-grew-up-knowing-more-about-planning/)

[Tanni Grey-Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

[Explore all 100 Tanni Grey-Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/)

## 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

> [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

> [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": "I've been told I was brave, or that I challenged adversity. Growing up in a middle-class family in Cardiff didn't feel that adverse.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Tanni Grey-Thompson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-challenged-adversity-growing-up/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Adversity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-challenged-adversity-growing-up/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_adversity_i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-cha_942735.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_adversity_i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-cha_942735.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/523/tanni-grey-thompson-5713_adversity_i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-cha_942735.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I've been told I was brave, or that I challenged adversity. Growing up in a middle-class family in Cardiff…” — Tanni Grey-Thompson",
                "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": "Tanni Grey-Thompson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanni-grey-thompson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I've been told I was brave,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-challenged-adversity-growing-up/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanni-grey-thompson/i-ve-been-told-i-was-brave-or-that-i-challenged-adversity-growing-up/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
