Context

This line was written by Eleanor Roosevelt in the book You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life (1960).

Eleanor Roosevelt wasn't just a four-term first lady—she was also a politician in her own right. And, apparently, an inspirational writer.

Can we really connect to advice from more than half a century ago? Absolutely. Picture this: there you are, all snuggled in bed, when a spider the size of a baseball silently creeps across the covers toward you. You're screaming like a barn owl, except no one can hear you. You're trying to get out of bed, but you can't move. That spider is going to bite you, inject you with digestive enzymes, and then suck up your liquefied innards. Yuck and yipes together—yuckipes.

Okay, it's just a nightmare. You wake up intact. You wet the bed, but you survived. It was all in your head… as most fears are. All you need is your "Touch Me and You're Dead" insecticide to take away their sting. Don't believe us? Go ask Rocky Balboa.

Life is full of horrific moments like these. Ol' Eleanor here is saying that living through these moments helps develop personal growth. Sounds about right.

Where you've heard it

You'll hear this on inspirational blogs and from personal trainers, shrinks, and gurus. But the best place to hear it is inside your own head. Throw it in there with all the other voices, but make it really loud.

Here's a video of the full text.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

You fearlessly ate your Brussels sprouts. That's not pretentious. It's stupendous. We rate this more "get up and conquer the world" than "roll your eyes and look for the nearest exit."