"You never know how strong you are until..." Proverb Meaning, Origin & History | Poignant Proverbs
Channel: Poignant Proverbs
Date: 16/10/2021

0:00 - How to say “You never know how strong you are..."
0:06 - Meaning of the proverb, “You never know how strong you are..."
1:07 - Advice from the proverb, “You never know how strong you are..."
1:41 - Real life example of the proverb, “You never know how strong you are..."
2:49 - Origin of the proverb, “You never know how strong you are..."
3:05 - Conclusion

Transcript:

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”

This proverb means that we often don’t realize our own potential until we are forced to do things we’ve never done before.

In other words, if you face a difficult situation, you will surprise yourself by how tough you can be.

People are often comfortable with their daily lives and present situations, used to the routine of whatever life they find themselves in.

Nothing changes, nothing is amiss. You may have gone your whole life without any big challenges, without any trials or tribulations…

… because of this, you also don’t challenge yourself to be or to do anything differently. You shy away from things that are uncomfortable or unfamiliar.

You aren’t sure about yourself when even little challenges present themselves. You would rather take the tried-and-true path than to take the path few have gone.

One day, however, a trial, a tribulation, an unexpected calamity presents itself in your life and your only choice is to tackle it head-on.

It is at this time - one of the most difficult times in your life - that you find strength, toughness, endurance, perseverance within yourself.

You realize that you’re more capable, more able, more tenacious, tougher, stronger than you’ve ever known or ever needed to be.

A good example of this is the sudden illness of yourself or of someone you love very much.

Suddenly, all the little problems in life fade away into the background. The little things that used to bother you aren’t really a concern any more.

The problems of daily life no longer annoy you, you no longer care or have time for such trivial things. All your strength, time and concern is focused on this sudden illness.

You may find yourself depressed, anxious or unconsolable at first, but once you realize that you need to be strong, you find immeasurable strength within.

You fight through the negative thoughts, you become a rock that inspires confidence in your loved ones, you decide to be hopeful rather than hopeless.

You didn’t realize just how strong you were; but then again, you never needed to be.

This proverb comes from one of the most famous singer-songwriters of all time, Bob Marley. Marley survived an assassination attempt but eventually succumed to skin cancer.

The next time someone you know faces seemingly insurmountable challenges in their life, inspire them with, “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”

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