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Obstacles Quotes

Words on overcoming challenges and setbacks

These obstacles quotes describe minds and skills that grow stronger by working through difficulty rather than avoiding it, including the image of a sailor navigating close to the wind despite the greatest Challenges.

It is true that Egypt's attempt at democracy after the 2011 revolution encountered many obstacles in governance and infrastructure.

Quotes by Ahmed Zewail

In America, the stories we tell ourselves and we tell each other in fiction have to do with individualism. Every person here is the center of his or her own story. And our job as people and as characters is...

Quotes by Adam Johnson

When we tackle obstacles, we find hidden reserves of courage and resilience we did not know we had. And it is only when we are faced with failure do we realise that these resources were always there within us. We...

Quotes by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

I feel alive inside only when obstacles are arising that must be overcome and eliminated.

Quotes by Yitzhak Shamir

Best Quotes

I call on Russia and the United States of America, the cosponsors of the peace conference, to help the peace process take bigger steps by contributing to the process and helping to overcome all obstacles.

Quotes by Yasser Arafat

As soon as we step beyond the established boundaries of pure thermodynamic theory, we enter a trackless region confronting us with obstacles which even the most astute of us are almost at a loss to tackle.

Quotes by Wilhelm Wien

Some minds seem almost to create themselves, springing up under every disadvantage and working their solitary but irresistible way through a thousand obstacles.

Quotes by Washington Irving

He is the best sailor who can steer within fewest points of the wind, and exact a motive power out of the greatest obstacles.

Quotes by Walter Scott

Let there be great enthusiasm for the plan throughout the entire republic that will overcome all obstacles. Let us join together to realize the Five Year Plan and bring our economy and our own living standards to previously unknown heights.

Quotes by Walter Ulbricht

Challenges Quotes

The development of the New Architecture encountered serious obstacles at a very early stage of its development. Conflicting theories and the dogmas enunciated in architects' personal manifestos all helped to confuse the main issue.

Quotes by Walter Gropius

I have a message for the young kids. Life is about obstacles, endeavors in life are not to be overlooked.

Quotes by Wade Boggs

The job of president is to motivate, to inspire, to be side by side with people making sure that they develop all their capacities and that I remove all the obstacles they have to grow by themselves.

Quotes by Vicente Fox

To overcome obstacles, you need solutions.

Quotes by Thomas Tuchel

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.

Quotes by Theodor Herzl

Day Quotes

Teachers today are breaking down obstacles, finding innovative ways to instill old lessons, proving that greatness can be found in everyday places.

Quotes by Taylor Mali

The best fiction is geared towards conflict. We learn most about our characters through tension, when they are put up against insurmountable obstacles. This is true in real life.

Quotes by Sufjan Stevens

When you love a problem, its contours, obstacles and resistances are all just part of its character.

Quotes by Steven Strogatz

I don't really think in terms of obstacles. My biggest obstacle is always myself.

Quotes by Steve Earle

Of my two handicaps, being female put many more obstacles in my path than being black.

Quotes by Shirley Chisholm

Down Quotes

As sisters in Zion, we can be obstacles to the adversary's conspiracy against families and virtue.

Quotes by Sheri L. Dew

Frequently Asked Questions

What's this Obstacles quotes collection about?
This page gathers quotes about overcoming obstacles across very different fields — personal achievement, national planning, sailing, and architectural innovation. It treats obstacles less as things to avoid and more as forces that can be worked with. For more on facing challenges directly, see Challenges.
Why do people search for obstacle quotes?
People often want obstacle quotes for motivation when they're facing something difficult and want language that reframes the struggle as productive. Others are drawn to the more specific, almost technical examples here, like sailing or architecture. It pairs naturally with Best for readers seeking inspiration.
What's the context behind the Five Year Plan quote?
That quote references a historical economic planning effort, included here as a factual reference to how obstacles were framed rhetorically in that era. It's presented neutrally, as a piece of history rather than an endorsement. It shows how the language of overcoming obstacles has long been used in large-scale national efforts.
Is there a quote here using an unusual metaphor for obstacles?
Yes — the line about the best sailor being the one who can draw power from the very obstacles in the way turns the idea on its head, suggesting obstacles can actually be a source of forward momentum rather than just something to push through. It's a great pick for captions about resourcefulness. That metaphor is one of the more memorable in the set.
What's the value in reading the full Obstacles collection?
Together, these quotes show obstacles being tackled in wildly different arenas — personal ambition, national policy, sailing, and design — which makes it easier to find one that fits your specific challenge. It's a reminder that the language of persistence applies almost anywhere. For more on pushing forward, Day and Down round out the theme.

Others acknowledge how early setbacks can complicate any new undertaking. For related reflections, see our Best quotes collection.