We are not meant to stay on the Meaning Factcheck Usage

You know, that line “We are not meant to stay on the ground; we are wired for rising” really gets to the heart of human resilience. It’s not about avoiding failure, but about our inherent ability to get back up, learn, and grow stronger from every single stumble we take.

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Table of Contents

Meaning

At its core, this quote suggests that struggle and getting back up aren’t just things we *do*—they’re fundamental to who we *are*. Our biology, our spirit, our very makeup is designed for recovery and growth.

Explanation

Look, I’ve worked with this idea for years, and here’s the thing. Most people think “rising strong” is a skill you learn. Brown flips that. She argues it’s a default setting we’ve forgotten. That ache you feel after a setback? That’s not a sign you’re broken. It’s your system’s wiring saying, “Okay, what’s the data? Let’s process this and rise.” It’s about moving from a place of “Why did this happen to me?” to “This happened. Now what does it make me capable of?” It’s a profound shift from victimhood to active authorship of your life.

Quote Summary

Context	Attributes
Original Language	English (3668)
Category	Success (341)
Topics	growth (413), perseverance (25)
Literary Style	minimalist (442)
Emotion / Mood	inspiring (392)
Overall Quote Score	71 (53)

Origin & Factcheck

This is straight from Brené Brown’s 2017 book, Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice. You’ll sometimes see it misattributed to general “self-help” or even to other authors talking about resilience, but the specific phrasing and its deep tie to the “rumble” process is uniquely Brown’s work from that text.

Attribution Summary

Context	Attributes
Author	Brene Brown (257)
Source Type	Book (4032)
Source/Book Name	Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice (39)
Origin Timeperiod	21st Century (1892)
Original Language	English (3668)
Authenticity	Verified (4032)

Where is this quotation located?

Quotation	We are not meant to stay on the ground; we are wired for rising
Book Details	Publication Year: 2017; ISBN: Unknown (based on her talk and workbook materials); Length: ~60 pages (lecture adaptation, Sounds True audio transcript).
Where is it?	Section: Rising Strong, Approximate Page 20

Context

In the book, this isn’t just a feel-good statement. It’s the conclusion of her research into what she calls the “rumble”—that messy, uncomfortable stage where you get curious about the story you’re telling yourself after a fall. The quote is the spiritual anchor for that entire, gritty process.

Usage Examples

So, how do you actually use this? It’s a game-changer.

For a team that just bombed a project launch, you can say: “Hey team, remember we’re wired for rising. Let’s rumble with what went wrong without shame. This isn’t our end; it’s our data.”

For a friend going through a brutal breakup: “I know it feels like you’ll be on the ground forever. But your very DNA is coded to get back up. This pain is part of the rising software, I promise.”

For yourself, as a daily mantra when imposter syndrome hits: “I am not meant to stay down. I am wired for this. The discomfort is the signal that the rising is starting.”

To whom it appeals?

Context	Attributes
Theme	Principle (838)
Audiences	coaches (1277), entrepreneurs (1006), leaders (2619), students (3111)
Usage Context/Scenario	goal-setting sessions (36), keynote speeches (6), morning affirmations (6), motivational articles (23), team meetings (67)

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FAQ

Question: Does this mean we should never feel bad about falling?

Answer: Not at all. Brown emphasizes feeling all the feelings—the hurt, the anger, the shame. The “wired for rising” part is what happens *after* you acknowledge the fall. It’s the built-in mechanism that follows the pain.

Question: Is this just positive thinking?

Answer: No, and this is crucial. This is the *opposite* of just slapping a happy face on a problem. It’s gritty, evidence-based work. It’s about confronting the story head-on, which is often really negative, to actually trigger the rise. It’s productive struggle, not passive positivity.

Question: What if someone feels too broken to rise?

Answer: That feeling is the most important data point. The feeling of being “too broken” is just the story the brain is telling to avoid the vulnerability of the rumble. Acknowledging that story is, ironically, the very first step of the rising process. The wiring is still there, even if it’s buried under a lot of protective layers.