--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The reason so few people are successful…" description: "\"The reason so few people are successful is no one has yet found a way for someone to sit down and slide uphill.\" — W. Clement Stone" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/w-clement-stone-5712_down-and_the-reason-so-few-people-are-successful_116176.png" --- # The reason so few people are successful is no one has yet… ![“The reason so few people are successful is no one has yet found a way for someone to sit down and slide uphill.” quote by W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/w-clement-stone-5712_down-and_the-reason-so-few-people-are-successful_116176.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/w-clement-stone-5712_down-and_the-reason-so-few-people-are-successful_116176.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/w-clement-stone-5712_down-and_the-reason-so-few-people-are-successful_116176.png) > “The reason so few people are successful is no one has yet found a way for someone to sit down and slide uphill.” [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) ## 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 hindered by the lack of a method that lets effort overcome natural resistance without extraordinary sacrifice. **In simple terms:** No easy shortcut exists for achievement. Key Takeaway Hard work cannot be bypassed by a simple trick. Themes effort success motivation hardship Mood determined cautious Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - entrepreneur launching a startup - student preparing for exams - athlete training for a competition Key Concepts law of diminishing returns psychology of perseverance Practical Applications - focus on incremental progress - cultivate resilience Questions to Reflect On - What habits can replace the myth of a quick fix? - How do we measure genuine progress versus illusionary gains? A Different Perspective Some breakthroughs do create disproportionate advantages, challenging the notion that no shortcut exists. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Down and](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down-and/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Funny inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-inspirational/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Motivation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivation/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-successful-297029/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-people-245679/) [Sit Slide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-slide-1365979/) [Slide Uphill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slide-uphill-1365978/) [Slides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slides/) [Successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful/) [Uphill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uphill/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [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/) > [Contours on the second half of a long putt have more impact on how the ball rolls because it's going slower. Adjust your speed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-els/contours-on-the-second-half-of-a-long-putt-have-more-impact-on-how/) [Ernie Els](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-els/) > [“Doesn't matter where you go, home is uphill”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-staalesen/doesn-t-matter-where-you-go-home-is-uphill/) [Gunnar Staalesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-staalesen/) > [The independent-minded movies - it's always an uphill battle to get them made and seen. You do what you can, and go out there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-liotta/the-independent-minded-movies-it-s-always-an-uphill-battle-to-get/) [Ray Liotta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-liotta/) > [Start your day in a upward direction, and the rest of the day will follow the uphill path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/start-your-day-in-a-upward-direction-and-the-rest-of-the-day-will/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [Nothing in my life has really ever been easy. I've always been someone who did it uphill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-hammon/nothing-in-my-life-has-really-ever-been-easy-i-ve-always-been-someone/) [Becky Hammon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-hammon/) > [God's Road is all uphill, but do not tire; Rejoice that we may still keep climbing higher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-guiterman/god-s-road-is-all-uphill-but-do-not-tire-rejoice-that-we-may-still/) [Arthur Guiterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-guiterman/) > [To ask for power is forcing uphill a stone which after all rolls back again from the summit and seeks in headlong haste the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/to-ask-for-power-is-forcing-uphill-a-stone-which-after-all-rolls-back/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [Innovations seem inevitable in retrospect, but at the time it's an uphill battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-livingston/innovations-seem-inevitable-in-retrospect-but-at-the-time-it-s-an/) [Jessica Livingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-livingston/) > [You can always tell when you are on the road to success; it's uphill all the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/you-can-always-tell-when-you-are-on-the-road-to-success-it-s-uphill/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) > [I walk firmer and more secure uphill than down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-walk-firmer-and-more-secure-uphill-than-down/) [Michel de Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [“Fate has a way of letting us know when we have screwed up by turning everything into an uphill battle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-schiller/fate-has-a-way-of-letting-us-know-when-we-have-screwed-up-by-turning/) [Ronnie Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-schiller/) > [Whenever you have a burden on you and if the road is uphill then dont despair¦ cause the view from the top is breathtaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/whenever-you-have-a-burden-on-you-and-if-the-road-is-uphill-then-dont/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [There's no limit to what you can accomplish, but there's always someone one step ahead of you, so it's a constant uphill battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mary-stewart/there-s-no-limit-to-what-you-can-accomplish-but-there-s-always/) [Catherine Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mary-stewart/) > [If we want to end this lifetime higher than we began, we can expect an uphill road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/if-we-want-to-end-this-lifetime-higher-than-we-began-we-can-expect-an/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) ## More by W. Clement Stone > [All I want to do is change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/all-i-want-to-do-is-change-the-world/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [You always do what you want to do. This is true with every act. You may say that you had to do something, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/you-always-do-what-you-want-to-do-this-is-true-with-every-act-you-may/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [You can develop a burning desire to succeed. How? Keep your mind on the things you want and off the things you don't want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/you-can-develop-a-burning-desire-to-succeed-how-keep-your-mind-on-the/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of man can achieve with Positive Mental Attitude. It is a form of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/what-the-mind-of-man-can-conceive-and-believe-the-mind-of-man-can/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [Are the things around you helping you toward success, or are they holding you back?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/are-the-things-around-you-helping-you-toward-success-or-are-they/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [You attract the good and desirable with positive mental attitude. You repel them with negative mental attitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/you-attract-the-good-and-desirable-with-positive-mental-attitude-you/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [Every great man, every successful man, no matter what the field of endeavor, has known the magic that lies in these words: every adversity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/every-great-man-every-successful-man-no-matter-what-the-field-of/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [Every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/every-adversity-has-the-seed-of-an-equivalent-or-greater-benefit/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [No matter how carefully you plan your goals they will never be more that pipe dreams unless you pursue them with gusto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/no-matter-how-carefully-you-plan-your-goals-they-will-never-be-more/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [Everyone who achieves success in a great venture, solves each problem as they came to it. They helped themselves. And they were helped through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/everyone-who-achieves-success-in-a-great-venture-solves-each-problem/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/if-you-are-really-thankful-what-do-you-do-you-share/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [Accept the priceless gift - the joy of work. Apply the greatest value in life: love people and serve them. You will attract big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/accept-the-priceless-gift-the-joy-of-work-apply-the-greatest-value-in/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/what-contemptible-scoundrel-has-stolen-the-cork-to-my-lunch/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [So, you've got a problem? That's good! Why? Because repeated victories over your problems are the rungs on your ladder of success. With each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/so-you-ve-got-a-problem-that-s-good-why-because-repeated-victories/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) > [PMA is the right mental attitude for each specific occasion. It has the power to attract the good and the beautiful. NMA repels them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-clement-stone/pma-is-the-right-mental-attitude-for-each-specific-occasion-it-has/) [W. Clement Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) [Explore all 100 W. Clement Stone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-clement-stone/) ## More Down and quotes > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [In relations between the rich and the strong, between the rich and the poor, between the master and the servant, it's liberty that grinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-relations-between-the-rich-and-the-strong-between-the-rich-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [There's a dishonest tyranny in the liberal/progressive/socialist agenda that comes down and says 'we are here because we care about you; we want what's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-west/there-s-a-dishonest-tyranny-in-the-liberal-progressive-socialist/) [Allen West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-west/) > [If you feel like you want to die, it's time to sit down and make a list of all the things you haven't done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deacon-jones/if-you-feel-like-you-want-to-die-it-s-time-to-sit-down-and-make-a/) [Deacon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deacon-jones/) > [Music is how I get free. It's a way to shut the rest of the world down and create your own world within it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-of-gab/music-is-how-i-get-free-it-s-a-way-to-shut-the-rest-of-the-world-down/) [Gift of Gab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-of-gab/) > [Being funny is one of my greatest strengths. I can make girls smile when they're down, and when they're having a good time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/being-funny-is-one-of-my-greatest-strengths-i-can-make-girls-smile/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [When I look at nature I feel as if I'll be able to paint it all, note it all down, and then you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/when-i-look-at-nature-i-feel-as-if-i-ll-be-able-to-paint-it-all-note/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. 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