30 Best Only The Strong Survive Tattoo Ideas
Reeva Babbar
Table of Contents
About Only The Strong Survive Tattoos
Tattoos have been known to showcase identity, both for groups and individuals, for a very long time. That’s why people often have an emotional connection to their tattoos, and they tend to make the wearer feel a strong sense of pride.
Carrying a symbol of a person, emotion, or idea permanently on the most sacred thing they possess, their body, is very meaningful for people.
Over the years, tattoos have risen in popularity for various reasons. This timeless body art has many purposes and can be used to mark an important occasion, celebrate loved ones, reminisce about good memories, and conquer fears and failures. Only the strong survive tattoos carry great meaning for individuals.
The meaning behind each tattoo is closely linked to the wearer’s purpose since nobody decides to get a permanent image or phrase on their body without careful thought. One of these meaningful phrases that is very popular in the tattoo world today is the “only the strong survive” quote.
This phrase originates from Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection since the “survival of the fittest” is often another way to state that only the strong will survive. Tattoo artists have created many designs surrounding this powerful quote in order to personalize it for different individuals.
While the phrase has become common in today’s day and age, tattoo artists will personalize the tattoo for each client by adding unique, meaningful designs around the famous words.
This article will closely look at some of these powerful meanings, and showcase the way that people have personalized this phrase in their tattoo designs. That way they’ll be reminded of the significance of their tattoo daily, and hold the meaning of the words close to their heart.
After reading this post, you’ll learn lots of interesting things about the “only the strong survive” tattoo, including the following info:
- “Only the strong survive” tattoo ideas
- “Only the strong survive” tattoo meanings
- “Only the strong survive” tattoo designs.
What Does Only The Strong Survive Tattoos Mean and Symbolize?
If you’re wondering what the “only the strong survive” tattoo means, there isn’t one clear-cut answer. As mentioned above, this phrase holds different meanings for different individuals.
The significance of these words and what they symbolize varies from person to person. And for those that got a tattoo with this powerful phrase, its significance is based on what motivated them to get the tattoo in the first place.
That being said, often people decide to get an “only the strong survive” tattoo due to an important, life-changing situation in their life.
Most often, these situations have to do with people surviving troubling times or, even worse, a near-death experience. So, getting an only the strong survive tattoo can be very significant.
It allows the wearer to not only look back on these difficult times and remember that they survived through them, but also motivates them to keep going during present and future hardships.
Essentially, the significance of this powerful tattoo in the wearer’s life is profound. By permanently residing on a person’s body, the tattoo is a constant visual reminder of their strength, willpower, and resilience. It allows them to remember their past struggles, but live in the present with a sense of victory over difficult times.
Also, the “only the strong survive” quote provides great motivation for people. It can help them believe in their ability to conquer any obstacles life throws their way because they’ve become strong after going through challenges in the past.
So, their perseverance reminds them that they can tackle anything because after all, only the strong survive the battles of life.
Only the strong survive when the going gets tough, after all, and only the strong survive when life becomes unpredictable and/or unbearable.
This is a basic truth that most people are aware of. And it’s why the “only the strong survive” tattoo is so powerful because the message helps people believe in themselves and in their inner strength.
Where to Get an Only The Strong Survive Tattoo
Are you wondering where you should get an only the strong survive tattoo? Well, it really depends on the goal and purpose behind getting one. The placement of the tattoo on the body holds as much significance as the tattoo itself.
The most popular spots for people to get this tattoo are on their chest, upper back, or arm. That’s because these places tend to exude a sense of strength and confidence in oneself. Also, these locations often provide the wearer with the opportunity to have their tattoo on display—in big font—if they so please.
There are other locations on the body where you can get an “only the strong survive” tattoo. If you’d like to express gratitude for having survived a difficult situation, but prefer a design that’s not so big and bold, a simple, small tattoo might be best.
And there are areas of the body where a smaller font makes a bigger impact—such as the inside of your wrist, along the side of your foot, or around the ankles—which are all great places to choose. That way, you can still portray your amazing perseverance and strength but in an understated manner.
Also, these smaller tattoos can still help individuals through trying times. A more delicate “only the strong survive” tattoo carries the same strong message as the bigger designs. Each and every one of them reminds people that they’ve conquered a difficult past so that they’ll never forget how far they’ve come.
That being said, it’s always important to do some research and make a plan before getting your body inked because most, if not all, tattoos are permanent. We’ve outlined some helpful factors to keep in mind below, so check them out before booking your appointment at the tattoo parlor:
- Correction designs may or may not improve the initial tattoo design. With that in mind, it’s essential that you know what kind of tattoo you want, and tell the tattoo artist what you expect. Also, make sure the work is done properly by a skilled professional. That way, right from the beginning, you’ll ensure that you’re satisfied with your tattoo design.
- Some tattoo artists can provide you with a sample of their work, and this can help you imagine what that tattoo will look like on an area of your body.
- Many tattoo parlors offer temporary tattoos that you can wear for a period of a few days up to two weeks to see how the design will look on a particular area of your body. Inkbox is a company that is popularly known for their temporary tattoos.
These tattoos last about 1-2 weeks and provide customers with an opportunity to customize their ink design. Wearing a temporary tattoo for a short period of time can help you decide whether you want to choose a particular tattoo artist, get a permanent inking in that same area, or continue trying different designs.
How Much Do Only The Strong Survive Tattoos Cost?
A temporary “only the strong survive” tattoo can cost anywhere from $20-$30, depending on the platform that you choose to purchase from (i.e. Amazon, Inkbox, etc.).
If you’d like a permanent “only the strong survive” tattoo, then the cost depends on many factors, such as the tattoo parlor, tattoo artist, customizations, and how intricate/complicated the design surrounding that powerful phrase is.
For example, Timeless Ink Toronto, a popular tattoo parlor in Toronto, Canada, charges a base rate of $100 as a minimum and the price can go up from there depending on the complexity of your design.
In other words, since costs can vary so much, it’s important to do your research to find a tattoo parlor and artist that fits within your desired budget.
30 Best Only The Strong Survive Tattoo Designs
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History of Only The Strong Survive Tattoo
Referring to Darwin’s natural selection theory that we mentioned previously, the “only the strong survive” tattoo, with its iconic phrase, has strong roots in history. It’s based on the theory that only those that possess inherent strength are the ones that survive challenging times (survival of the fittest).
This belief holds truth and value for those that have come out of difficult times, and have emerged victorious, fierce, and fearless as a result. Basically, people who have overcome their life’s battles vouch for this historical phrase—most of them truly believe that the strong become stronger during trying times.
Which Celebrities Have an “Only The Strong Survive” Tattoo?
Due to their popularity in the media currently, there are many celebrities that have proudly inked their bodies with the “only the strong survive” phrase. The meaning behind this phrase is very personal for each celebrity and is based on the challenges or other profound experiences that they’ve had to face.
But the main purpose behind this tattoo still remains virtually the same no matter what— to showcase an individual’s strength, self-confidence, resilience, and perseverance.
Allen Iverson is the most popular celebrity name that comes up each time there is a discussion about the “only the strong survive” tattoos. He’s a former American NBA player, and he has several tattoos to commemorate his life’s journey and learnings.
One of these tattoos is his only the strong survive tattoo on his upper left arm that has been designed with a cross and two daggers to showcase his strength, faith in himself, and his ability to survive almost anything.
Other celebrities that have been rumored to have an only the strong survive tattoo on their bodies are 50 Cent, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Mike Tyson, and Michelle Rodriguez.
With the constant ups and downs in these celebrities’ lives, their outlook on life and its challenges is perfectly summed up by this iconic phrase, because they believe that only the strong ones can truly survive.
Whether this survival is in the world of Hollywood or life in general, these celebrities have come to accept the fact that the weak don’t stand a chance in this world. That’s because it takes strength to continue moving forward because the world is not a great place for those who back down in the face of trying times.
So, most of them believe that only those strong enough to withstand life, with all of its highs and lows, can become true survivors.
Final Thoughts
Tattoos hold a lot of significance for the wearer since they provide a way for them to not only express themselves but also carry their past life experiences on their bodies with pride.
Only the strong survive tattoos express the wearer’s sense of victory over difficult times, and also provide motivation to continue facing life’s challenges head-on without any fear.
And they serve as a great reminder: they give people the opportunity to look back at trying times with a smile on their face, knowing that they conquered their battles with strength while maintaining faith in their abilities.
Only the strong survive tattoos have become a major part of many people’s identities since they continue to remind them of who they are, what they’ve become, and how far they’ve come after overcoming significant challenges in their lives.
They attract an audience without necessarily seeking one since these tattoos hold a powerful message that can inspire others.
Above all, they allow the wearer to feel confident with their past and present self, and they help fearlessly prepare them for a future that may include more of life’s exhausting challenges.
That’s because they’ll always know that those who go through life’s trials and tribulations will be tested, but they’ll persevere and survive because they have the strength to overcome them.
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