Quotations and Literature Forum

Hi there,

I am looking for a quote to express the following ideas:

That people come up with their most creative when in a tight spot.
That they rise to the occassion when pressed.
When the going gets tough the tough get going.

Any ideas?
Thank you.

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.
- Thomas Paine (1737 - 1809)

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Michael Moncur
Owner and maintainer, The Quotations Page

I was going to post a profound statement but it slipped through a crack before I could get logged on. Anyway, I have taken a stab at writing some poetry when I was pulling through a period of seasonal depression (back in 1989). I discovered that I was better able to express my inner most feelings on paper when I was in a bewildered mood. After I pulled through the fog I was unable to wrte anything but ordinary words in an ordinary manner. I guess that the depression caused me to dig deep inside the bottom of my soul to bring to the surface the things that I was experiencing. At the time I was reading the novel, Steppenwolf. I wa also wadding the muddy waters of Spinoza's metaphysics. (After reading Spinoza I concluded that I new less about metaphysics than I did when I began readiing. ) Somewhere along that journey II learned the meaning of paradox. Toward the end of the trail I discovered the difference between a conflict and a contrast. The exposure to Hesse elevated me to a higher plane of thought. Hess was a pilgrim of crisis. If there is stress in a crisis then there is also redemtion. For a spell I became a disciple of Hesse.

During the winter of 1991 I took up hiking during the winter months. It was the best thearpy for depression, "Good Medicine." Between reading and I hiking, I discovered that I was too contented to be depressed.

Here's a couple from an article I found interesting.

"[Winning the Oscar] was the great pitfall of my life. That's when I made all the mistakes. It was actually a confusing time. I think winning an Academy Award is very confusing. I don't know that it's a curse, per se; it certainly hasn't affected a lot of people. It hasn't cursed Tom Hanks or Robert Zemeckis. But when you're young and you win something like that right away, it almost happens too soon."
~ Roger Avary, who with Quentin Tarantino shared the 1994 Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Pulp Fiction

"When you look at the people who have succeeded, who have lasted, they have stuck to their guns. They have continued in the face of adversity, and they've had a point of view. I think it's rare when someone has gotten by telling lies; the people that make it tend to have made it on merit. Be true to the people you're talking to. It's not about today or tomorrow – it's about five years from now. Where do I want to be five years from now?"
~ Alan Gasmer
http://www.fadeinmag.com/williamson/LostAngels2.html

Dear all who replied:

Thanks to all who replied to my request for a quote on challenge. There are some great ones in your reply. However I'm looking for something less literary and philosophical and more catchy. More Churchill-like if you know what I mean

Never, never, never give up~Churchill

The challenged life may be the best therapist.--Gail Sheehy

Dreams can often become challenging, but challenges are what we live for. -- Travis White

There is no Challenge more challenging than the challenge to improve yourself. -- Michael F. Staley

If someone says can't, that shows you what to do. -- John Cage

Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory. -- George S. Patton

Attempt the impossible in order to improve your work. -- Bette Davis

Mountains cannot be surmounted except by winding paths. -- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Impossibilities are merely things which we have not yet learned. -- Charles W. Chesnutt

When you've got something to prove, there's nothing greater than a challenge. -- Terry Bradshaw