We are taught to see struggle as a sign that something is going wrong. But what if it was instead a sign of impending success? Don’t fear struggle. Don’t avoid it at all costs.
Struggling means that you have started to take action. It is harder than doing nothing, but it means that you are going forward with your goals. If there is nothing that needs to be overcome, perhaps it’s because nothing is happening? If you are waiting, there will be no struggle, but also no progress.
Strength comes from struggle. When you learn to see your struggles as opportunities to become stronger, better, wiser, then your thinking shifts from ‘I can’t do this’ to ‘I must do this.’
Struggle is a sign that you are trying, that you have set on a path to a goal.
The second positive thing about struggle is that it teaches us a lot. When we make mistakes and solve problems, we learn as well.
The person who falls down and gets up is better equipped to deal with any issue than someone who never started to run anyway. Obstacles make us wiser and better prepared to deal with a variety of situations.
Things that come easy tend to be less appreciated. They might be faster and easier to get, sure, but they also have less emotional value. Think about it. If you are given a prize for no reason at all, it might feel nice. But will you truly value it?
When we work for something, when we struggle, it feels truly ours. It feels earned. Struggle helps us appreciate what we gain.
Struggle is our best teacher. It’s also what shows us whether the goals we are pursuing matter to us. When we struggle for the sake of something that really doesn’t matter, it will become evident when we face obstacles.
Struggle is our friend, not our enemy. It shows us that we are making progress. It means that we are growing and pushing beyond our limits. If we have to struggle, it means that we are truly giving it our all.
Don’t give up if you face a struggle. Instead, ask yourself whether you are on the right path if you are not struggling at all. Is there truly something worthwhile? Is there something to challenge you?
Embrace your struggle. It’s your teacher.
Whatever the struggle, continue the climb. It may be only one step to the summit.
