In this world, being tough isn’t just a choice – it’s a necessity for survival and success. I have compiled below some of the best being tough quotes and sayings that will remind you that even in our darkest moments, we should not give up, but instead continue to move forward.
Life is full of obstacles and setbacks, and being tough enables us to handle them with strength and determination.
Toughness allows us to push through difficulties, persist in the face of adversity, and bounce back from setbacks.
When we show resilience in the face of challenges, we become role models for those around us. It is a quality that is highly valued in today’s society.
Also See: Bounce Back Quotes
Our toughness can inspire others to develop their own strengths and tackle challenges with the same determination.
With the help of these powerful quotes, let’s encourage everyone around us to develop a mindset to face the pain & discomfort and to emerge stronger on the other side.
Top 10 Being Tough Quotes
- “Defeat is simply a signal to press onward.” – Helen Keller
- “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
- “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.” – Buddha
- “Hardship prepares ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” – C.S. Lewis
- “You have to be tough and stick it out, or you wind up being nothing.” – Joe Louis
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
- “When you are tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you.” – Zig Ziglar
- “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” – Bob Marley
- “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
Best Quotes About Being Tough
Being tough doesn’t necessarily mean being physically strong or aggressive.
Rather, it means having the mental and emotional fortitude to persevere through difficult times and to keep going even when it feels like giving up is the only option.
It means being able to bounce back from setbacks and failures and using these experiences as opportunities for growth and learning.
- “Life is rough so be tough.” – Unknown
- “It’s tough being me.” – Kevin Pietersen
- “Life is tough, but you are tougher.” – Unknown
- “Play by the rules but be ferocious.” – Phil Knight
- “Storms make trees take deeper roots.” – Dolly Parton
- “If you fell down yesterday, stand up today.” – H.G. Wells
- “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” – Robert H. Schuller
- “Be patient and tough; someday this pain will be useful to you.” – Ovid
- “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” – Joseph Kennedy
- “Be tough and stay resilient. Keep going. No matter what.” – Unknown
- “Life isn’t about getting and having, it’s about giving and being.” – Kevin Kruse
- “It’s not the load that breaks you down, it is the way you carry it.” – Lena Horne
- “When somebody challenges you, fight back. Be brutal, be tough.” – Donald Trump
- “If you want the light to come into your life, you need to stand where it is shining.” – Guy Finely
- “Tough people are not born, they’re made when there’s no one there to dry their tears.” – Unknown
- “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
- “It’s not about being tough but to accept your weaknesses and work to get stronger day by day.” – Enson Inoue
- “If someone is strong enough to bring you down, show them you are strong enough to get back up.” – A. Josland
- “When something bad happens you have three choices. You can let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you.” – Unknown
- “It will hurt. It will take time. It will require dedication. It will require willpower. You will need to make healthy decisions. It requires sacrifice. You will need to push your body to its max. There will be temptation. But, I promise you, when you reach your goal, it’s worth it.” – Unknown
Famous Quotes On Being Tough
Many great leaders and thinkers throughout history have spoken about the importance of being tough.
Some of the most famous quotes about being tough come from individuals who have overcome incredible obstacles in their lives.
Also Read: Moving Forward Quotes
These uplifting quotes emphasize the idea that toughness is necessary to achieve anything worthwhile in life.
- “Tough situations build strong people.” – Unknown
- “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” – Frederick Douglass
- “You were given this life because you are strong enough to live it.” – Unknown
- “You may encounter many defeats but you must not be defeated.” – Maya Angelou
- “A Strong Woman looks a challenge dead in the eye and gives it a wink.” – Gina Carey
- “Once you’ve been through tough times, you can only become stronger.” – Alesha Dixon
- “We must meet the challenge rather than wish it were not before us.” – William J. Brennan, Jr.
- “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “I’m thankful for my struggle because, without it, I wouldn’t have stumbled across my strength.” – Alex Elle
- “It isn’t hard to be good from time to time in sports. What is tough, is being good every day.” – Willie Mays
- “The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up.” – Robert Tew
- “Sometimes you don’t realize your own strength until you come face to face with your greatest weakness.” –Susan Gale
- “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford
- “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Dealing with life, everyday stuff & emotions can be tough. You’re a brave soul on a mission. You got this.” – Unknown
- “Strength isn’t about bearing a cross of grief or shame. Strength comes from choosing your own path, and living with the consequences.” – Jenny Trout
- “Keep your head up. The toughest challenges can help us grow the most. Worry less. Appreciate more. If you want something, make it happen.” – Brooke Griffin
- “Never give up, and be confident in what you do. There may be tough times, but the difficulties which you face will make you more determined to achieve your objectives and to win against all the odds.” – Marta
- “At times life comes hard at you. Be encouraged. Don’t give up. It may be tough and frustrating but you must understand that every setback you encounter in life is a setup that positions you for a major come back! Greatness is in you. You will surely make it.” – Unknown
Inspirational Tough Life Quotes
Being tough means having the courage and determination to keep going, even when the path ahead is uncertain or challenging.
These quotes remind us that being tough is not about avoiding failure or adversity, but rather about using these experiences as opportunities to become stronger and more resilient.
- “Life may be tough, but so are you…” – Unknown
- “Life is rough. So you gotta be tough.” – Johnny Cash
- “Life is tough, but it’s tougher when you’re stupid.” – John Wayne
- “Life is tough, my darling, but so are you.” – Stephanie Bennett Henry
- “You’ve got to stay strong to be strong in tough times.” – Tilman J. Fertitta
- “Without rain nothing grows. Learn to embrace the storms of your life.” – Unknown
- “When life puts you in tough situations, don’t say ‘why me’. Say ‘try me’.” – Unknown
- “Do not pray for an easy life; pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” – Bruce Lee
- “Turn towards each other when life gets tough, overcome difficulty with unity.” – Unknown
- “Life is tough and you have to be tougher than life to change the world.” – Sebastian Pinera
- “Life is tough; and if you have the ability to laugh at it, you have the ability to enjoy it.” – Salma Hayek
- “Life is tough, and things don’t always work out well, but we should be brave and go on with our lives.” – Suga
- “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene
- “A truly strong person does not need the approval of others any more than a lion needs the approval of sheep.” – Vernon Howard
- “Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you; they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” – Bernice Johnson Reagon
- “Being Tough” doesn’t mean being emotionless, tough means to face every adversity beautifully, and keep improving yourself.” – Unknown
- “That’s the problem with being a boss is that when you are tough, they resent you, and when you are cool, they walk all over you.” – Michael Scott
- “Life is designed to knock you down. It will knock you down time & time again, but it doesn’t matter how many times you fall – it matters how many times you get back up.” – Lilly Singh
- “I think you need to go through some stuff to really appreciate life and understand what it means to persevere, overcome and have faith. I think those tough times make you a stronger person.” – Judith Hill
- “Difficult times have helped to understand better than before . How infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way, and that so many things that one goes worrying about are or no importance whatsoever.” – Zahid Abas
Motivational Quotes For Tough Life
Tough quotes come from a variety of sources, including historical figures, athletes, and successful individuals from all walks of life.
They often express the importance of hard work, perseverance, and dedication in achieving success.
- “Life is tough, but you must be tougher.” – Unknown
- “The way of the pioneer is always rough.” – Harvey S. Firestone
- “Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.” – John F Kennedy
- “If there weren’t tough times, there wouldn’t be tough people.” – Mabona Kabelo
- “You need to be buried deep in the dirt before you can find your bloom.” – Roz Inga
- “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy
- “When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
- “For a tree to become tall it must grow tough roots among the rocks.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
- “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” – Og Mandino
- “Life is not always fair. Sometimes you get a splinter sliding down a rainbow.” – Terri Guillemets
- “All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.” – Christian Larson
- “If things are going bad and life is tough, hang in there. Ride it out. Come out on top.” – Ashton Irwin
- “Be strong & face the life. Because sometimes Life is keeping nothing but only one option. Be strong anyway.” – Anonymous
- “It’s better to be tough than strong, better to be clever than intelligent,” he said, repeating a family maxim. “I was tough and.” – Michael Finkel
- “You’re going to go through tough times that’s life. But I say, nothing happens to you, it happens for you. See the positive in negative events.” – Joel Osteen
- “You can always take the easy way out and give up, but real strength comes when you decide to keep pushing no matter what the circumstances are.” – Unknown
- “A lot of people are afraid to tell the truth, to say no. That’s where toughness comes into play. Toughness is not being a bully. It’s having backbone.” – Robert Kiyosaki
- “Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” – Thomas Carlyle
- “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” – Helen Keller
Tough People Quotes To Make You Stronger
Tough people have the ability to keep going when others would give up & are less likely to become discouraged.
Also See: When Life Gets Tough Quotes
They are able to see the silver lining in challenges and maintain a sense of optimism without being deterred by failures. Here are some of the best quotes on tough people
- “The harder you fall… the higher you bounce.” – Unknown
- “If God sends us on strong paths, we are provided strong shoes.” – Corrie ten Boom
- “Your willingness to look at your darkness is what empowers you to change.” – Unknown
- “What a beautiful thing it is to be able to stand tall and say, I fell apart. but I survived…” – Unknown
- “The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person.” – Rita Mero
- “There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don’t allow yourself to become one of them.” – Unknown
- “Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you.” – Unknown
- “Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it.” – Unknown
- “A heart is a strong muscle and what do muscles do when they are torn? They grow back STRONGER!” – Ivan Avendano
- “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” –Thomas Edison
- “God knows you’re tired; don’t give up. Your breakthrough is just around the corner. You’re transitioning into your new season!” – Unknown
- “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeve
- “And one has to understand that braveness is not the absence of fear but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear.” – Paulo Coelho
- “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.” – Dale Carnegie
- “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain.” – Unknown
- “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “Make up your mind that no matter what comes your way, no matter how difficult, no matter how unfair, you will do more than simply survive. You will thrive in spite of it.” – Joel Osteen
Finally, by embracing these quotes and adopting a tough mindset, we can lead to greater overall well-being.
When individuals have the mental toughness to overcome challenges, they are better equipped to handle stress and anxiety.
In conclusion, being tough is an essential quality that we must cultivate if we want to succeed in life.
Overall, tough quotes provide us with the motivation and inspiration we need to push through difficult times and emerge stronger on the other side.
This can lead to improved mental health and a greater sense of overall happiness.
Which is your favorite tough quote? If we have missed some quotes, share them with us in the comment section below and we shall be happy to add them to the list.
If you think you can relate to these uplifting quotes feel free to spread your feelings and share them with friends and family on Pinterest, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, and more.
