“Great is the power of habit. It teaches us to bear fatigue and to despise wounds and pain.”
- January 3, 106 BC – December 7, 43 BC
- Roman
- Orator, Philosopher, Statesman, Lawyer, Author
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Quote
“Great is the power of habit. It teaches us to bear fatigue and to despise wounds and pain.”
Explanation
This quote extols the transformative strength of habit, highlighting its role in building endurance and resilience. Cicero points out that repeated practice and exposure can train both the mind and body to withstand hardship—whether physical like pain and injury, or mental like exhaustion. Habit, through repetition, reshapes what we find difficult or fearful, turning discomfort into familiarity and weakness into fortitude.
Cicero, drawing from Stoic and Roman ideals, believed in the moral and practical discipline of habituation. Roman education and military life both relied heavily on the idea that virtue and strength are not innate, but cultivated through rigorous training and repetition. This quote reflects the broader philosophical belief that the human character is malleable, and that through habit, one can learn to master suffering, embrace duty, and face adversity with courage.
In modern terms, this idea finds echoes in psychology and behavioral science: habits shape behavior, build resilience, and reframe how we experience difficulty. Athletes, soldiers, and disciplined professionals all rely on trained routines to push past pain and fatigue. Cicero’s insight reminds us that the path to strength lies not in momentary effort, but in consistent practice, and that habit is one of the most powerful tools for human growth and perseverance.
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