"Man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor"

In this quote, Alexis Carrel recommends that in order for a person to alter and improve themselves, they should go through some kind of suffering. He compares the human being to both the marble and the carver, implying that we have the power to shape and mold ourselves, however it requires effort and pain. Simply as a carver needs to chip away at the marble to create a work of art, we must also endure difficulties and has a hard time to end up being the very best version of ourselves. This quote highlights the idea that growth and transformation frequently come at an expense, but completion result is worth the pain.