--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our opponents maintain that we are…" description: "\"Our opponents maintain that we are confronted with insurmountable political obstacles, but that may be said of the smallest obstacle if one has no desi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/theodor-herzl-12888_adversity_our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confr_2523720.jpg" --- # Our opponents maintain that we are confronted with… ![“Our opponents maintain that we are confronted with insurmountable political obstacles, but that may be said of the smallest obstacle if one has no desire to surmount it.” quote by Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/theodor-herzl-12888_adversity_our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confr_2523720.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/theodor-herzl-12888_adversity_our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confr_2523720.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/theodor-herzl-12888_adversity_our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confr_2523720.jpg) > “Our opponents maintain that we are confronted with insurmountable political obstacles, but that may be said of the smallest obstacle if one has no desire to surmount it.” [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political obstacles seem huge, yet lack of will makes even small challenges insurmountable. **In simple terms:** Will determines obstacle size. Key Takeaway Cultivate determination. Themes politics willpower obstacle determination Mood determined optimistic Type political motivational When to use this quote - activism - policy advocacy - personal goal setting - team leadership Key Concepts political theory motivation Questions to Reflect On - What small obstacle can you surmount today? - How does collective will change perceived barriers? A Different Perspective Will alone may not overcome systemic barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversity/) [Confronted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confronted/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Insurmountable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insurmountable/) [Maintain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maintain/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Obstacle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacle/) [Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles/) [Obstacles Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obstacles-said-1275866/) [Opponents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opponents/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Obstacles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-obstacles-1275865/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Smallest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest/) [Smallest Obstacle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallest-obstacle-1275867/) ## Related quotes > [“Freedom can never yield its fullness of blessings so long as the law or its administration places the smallest obstacle in the pathway of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/freedom-can-never-yield-its-fullness-of-blessings-so-long-as-the-law/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-kelly/we-are-confronted-with-insurmountable-opportunities/) [Walt Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-kelly/) > [“...now that I had finally confronted him, he had lost his power over me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peg-kehret/now-that-i-had-finally-confronted-him-he-had-lost-his-power-over-me/) [Peg Kehret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peg-kehret/) > [I don't know the literary world; I was scared of being confronted with famous names, not knowing what they had written. 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She rolled her eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kady-cross/so-finley-did-what-so-many-rich-girls-did-when-confronted-with-a/) [Kady Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kady-cross/) > [The virus that causes AIDS is the trickiest pathogen scientists have ever confronted. It mutates furiously, it has decoys to evade the immune system,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-berkley/the-virus-that-causes-aids-is-the-trickiest-pathogen-scientists-have/) [Seth Berkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-berkley/) > [I've taken control on a very personal level to reach out to a lot of the people who have hurt me or crossed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raye/i-ve-taken-control-on-a-very-personal-level-to-reach-out-to-a-lot-of/) [Raye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raye/) > [“One day she marched around the side of the house and confronted me. "I've seen you out there every day for the past week,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/one-day-she-marched-around-the-side-of-the-house-and-confronted-me-i/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [I discovered that I was 'different' in the third grade. As the new kid at school, I was trying hard to find my footing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-harlow/i-discovered-that-i-was-different-in-the-third-grade-as-the-new-kid/) [Winnie Harlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winnie-harlow/) > [“We only think when confronted with a problem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-only-think-when-confronted-with-a-problem/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [We only think when we are confronted with a problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/we-only-think-when-we-are-confronted-with-a-problem/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [“Like so many champions of justice, she possessed empathy in the abstract, but sometimes fell short when confronted with the flesh-and-blood reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-valeur/like-so-many-champions-of-justice-she-possessed-empathy-in-the/) [Erik Valeur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-valeur/) > [“in town. She confronted him and he protested too much for her comfort. Mum had very good intuition, and her suspicions were soon confirmed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-rockefeller/in-town-she-confronted-him-and-he-protested-too-much-for-her-comfort/) [Eileen Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-rockefeller/) ## More by Theodor Herzl > [Dream and deed are not as different as many think. All the deeds of men are dreams at first, and become dreams in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/dream-and-deed-are-not-as-different-as-many-think-all-the-deeds-of/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [I believe I understand anti-Semitism which is a very complex movement. I see it as a Jew, but without hatred or fear. I recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/i-believe-i-understand-anti-semitism-which-is-a-very-complex-movement/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [I will give you my definition of a nation, and you can add the adjective 'Jewish.' A Nation is, in my mind, an historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/i-will-give-you-my-definition-of-a-nation-and-you-can-add-the/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [“We believe that salvation is to be found in wholesome work in a beloved land. Work will provide our people with the bread of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/we-believe-that-salvation-is-to-be-found-in-wholesome-work-in-a/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [It is essential that the sufferings of Jews become worse this will assist in realization of our plans I have an excellent idea I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/it-is-essential-that-the-sufferings-of-jews-become-worse-this-will/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [The Jews who will it shall achieve their State. We shall live at last as free men on our own soil, and in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/the-jews-who-will-it-shall-achieve-their-state-we-shall-live-at-last/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [“If you will it, it's not a dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/if-you-will-it-it-s-not-a-dream/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [Truly we have had enough experience with sufferance and protection which could be revoked at will. Consequently, the only reasonable Course of action is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/truly-we-have-had-enough-experience-with-sufferance-and-protection/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [Realists are, as a rule, only men in the rut of routine who are incapable of transcending a narrow circle of antiquated notions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/realists-are-as-a-rule-only-men-in-the-rut-of-routine-who-are/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [Our first object is... the obtaining of sovereignty, assured by international law, over a portion of the globe sufficiently large to satisfy our just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/our-first-object-is-the-obtaining-of-sovereignty-assured-by/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [Nothing prevents us from being and remaining the exponents of a united humanity, when we have a country of our own. To fulfill this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/nothing-prevents-us-from-being-and-remaining-the-exponents-of-a/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [If anyone thinks that Jews can steal into the land of their fathers, he is deceiving either himself or others. Nowhere is the coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/if-anyone-thinks-that-jews-can-steal-into-the-land-of-their-fathers/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [We are organizing Jewry for its coming destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/we-are-organizing-jewry-for-its-coming-destiny/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [Zionism demands a publicly recognized and legally secured homeland in Palestine for the Jewish people. This platform is unchangeable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/zionism-demands-a-publicly-recognized-and-legally-secured-homeland-in/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) > [Those of us who are today prepared to hazard our lives for the cause would regret having raised a finger, if we were able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/those-of-us-who-are-today-prepared-to-hazard-our-lives-for-the-cause/) [Theodor Herzl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) [Explore all 52 Theodor Herzl quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/) ## 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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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": "Our opponents maintain that we are confronted with insurmountable political obstacles, but that may be said of the smallest obstacle if one has no desire to surmount it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Theodor Herzl" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confronted-with-insurmountable/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confronted-with-insurmountable/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/theodor-herzl-12888_adversity_our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confr_2523720.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/theodor-herzl-12888_adversity_our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confr_2523720.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3a/theodor-herzl-12888_adversity_our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confr_2523720.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our opponents maintain that we are confronted with insurmountable political obstacles, but that may be said…” — Theodor Herzl", "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": "Theodor Herzl", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodor-herzl/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our opponents maintain that we are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confronted-with-insurmountable/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodor-herzl/our-opponents-maintain-that-we-are-confronted-with-insurmountable/#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 } } ] } ```