To bear up under loss;
To fight the bitterness of defeat
and the weakness of grief;
To be victor over anger;
To smile when tears are close;
To resist disease and evil
men and base instincts;
To hate hate and to love love;
To go on when it would seem good to die;
To look up with unquenchable faith
in something ever more about to be.
That is what any man can do,
and be great.
About the Poet Zane Grey
Zane Grey’s Recipe for Greatness is a stirring reflection on resilience, love, and unyielding faith in the face of life’s most challenging trials. With profound simplicity, Grey outlines the qualities that define true greatness—overcoming loss, embracing love, resisting hatred, and persevering when giving up feels easier. His words inspire readers to strive for a higher ideal, even in the darkest moments, reminding us of the strength that lies within.
Discover more about Zane Grey’s life, his influence on Western literature, and his connection to Arizona HERE. Click to learn about the legendary storyteller who infused his works with the spirit of the American West!
Discover more poetry inspired by Arizona HERE.
Summary
Grey defines greatness not through fame or achievement but through the ability to endure loss, defeat, grief, anger and despair while continuing to choose love and faith in what may still come.
Analysis
Nearly every line begins with an infinitive—“To bear,” “To fight,” “To smile,” “To resist,” “To hate,” “To go on,” “To look up”—turning greatness into a sequence of actions rather than an inherent quality. Several of those actions are deliberately paradoxical: smiling while tears are close, hating hatred, continuing when death appears preferable. The poem’s final move is crucial because its standard of greatness remains accessible. These are not heroic accomplishments reserved for extraordinary people; the speaker concludes that they are things “any man can do.” Greatness is therefore presented as persistence expressed through ordinary moral choices.