I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life; I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Roosevelt states that envying difficult lives led well is more meaningful than envying easy lives.
- In plain terms
- It is better to admire those who faced hard times than those who had it easy.
- What can you take from it?
- Value resilience and overcoming hardship over mere comfort.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What kind of life do you admire?
- Why is difficulty valuable?
Another view
It may dismiss the value of earned comfort or rest.
More from Theodore Roosevelt
I have a perfect horror of words that are not backed up by deeds.
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Permalink to quote #83 I don't pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard hi…
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