Quote of the day by Milan Kundera: ‘Anyone whose goal is something higher must expect someday to suffer vertigo. '- What the Czech-French novelist teaches about courage and overcoming fear

Fear is often seen as a sign to stop. But what if it actually signals that you are moving towards something meaningful? Czech-French novelist Milan Kundera believed that every worthwhile ambition brings moments of uncertainty, temptation and self-doubt. One of his most profound quotes from The Unbearable Lightness of Being explores the deeper meaning of fear, describing "vertigo" not simply as the fear of falling, but as the strange pull towards giving up. His words continue to resonate with readers seeking courage in difficult moments.

Quote of the day

Milan Kundera once wrote, “Anyone whose goal is something higher must expect someday to suffer vertigo. What is vertigo? Fear of falling? No. Vertigo is something other than fear of falling. It is the voice of the emptiness below us which tempts and lures us, it is the desire to fall, against which, terrified, we defend ourselves.”

What does the quote mean?

At first, Kundera's description of vertigo appears to be about standing on the edge of a great height. But the passage is actually a metaphor for life's biggest ambitions and challenges. According to Kundera, the greatest obstacle is not always the fear of failure. Sometimes it is the unexpected temptation to quit, surrender or choose the easier path. He describes vertigo as "the voice of the emptiness below us" that quietly invites us to fall, even when we desperately want to keep climbing.


Whether someone is chasing a dream career, rebuilding after a setback, pursuing a relationship or taking a personal risk, moments of doubt are inevitable. Kundera suggests that these feelings are not signs of weakness. Instead, they are part of striving for "something higher." His message is that courage is not the absence of fear. It is the decision to continue despite hearing that inner voice urging you to give up.

The quote's connection to The Unbearable Lightness of Being

The passage comes from Kundera's best-known novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, first published in 1984. The novel follows the journey of a Czech dissident surgeon whose life moves between Prague and Zurich before he returns to Prague, where he is no longer allowed to continue practising medicine. Through his characters, Kundera explores love, freedom, identity, political oppression and the fragile nature of human existence.

The book also reflects on philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of eternal return, questioning whether a single human life carries weight in an infinite universe where everything may repeat endlessly.


In 1988, American director Philip Kaufman adapted the novel into a film starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Lena Olin and Juliette Binoche. Kundera, however, made it clear that the adaptation had very little to do with the spirit of his novel or its characters. Following that experience, he chose not to allow further adaptations of his works.

About Milan Kundera

Milan Kundera was a Czech-born novelist who later became a French citizen after going into exile in France in 1975. His Czechoslovak citizenship was revoked in 1979 before eventually being restored in 2019. Widely regarded as one of the most influential novelists of the 20th century, Kundera became internationally known for blending philosophy, politics and psychology into fiction. Before the Velvet Revolution of 1989, the Communist government of Czechoslovakia banned his books. Despite global acclaim, he maintained a private life and rarely gave media interviews.


Throughout his career, Kundera received numerous honours, including the Jerusalem Prize in 1985, the Austrian State Prize for European Literature in 1987, the Herder Prize in 2000 and Slovenia's Golden Order of Merit in 2021. He was also frequently regarded as a contender for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

His words continue to remind readers that pursuing meaningful goals often brings moments of fear and uncertainty. Rather than seeing those feelings as reasons to retreat, Kundera encourages us to recognise them as part of the journey towards growth, courage and a life lived with purpose.