When you go in search of honey you must expect to be stung by bees.
Joseph Joubert
We all set ourselves certain goals in life. How big or small these goals are depend entirely on how limited our imagination is. One thing, however, is for sure: no worthwhile goal comes easy in life.
In other words, if things are going smoothly for you, then you are probably not aiming as high as you should. Conversely, if the road has been getting bumpier of late, it is a sign of better things to come.
Remember, almost anyone can scale tiny hills. It is only the steepest mountains that present the most potent challenges. You cannot hope to achieve something big by walking down a rosy road. The path to every fulfilling goal is laden with thorns, thorns that you must navigate to achieve your target.
In a way, this is only fair. The hardships we encounter along the way are what make our accomplishments that much more enjoyable. You wouldn’t be half as proud of your wonderful grades if you didn’t have to burn the midnight oil for them, would you? Likewise, no Olympian would feel satisfied with their medal if years of sweat and blood hadn’t gone into it. And that’s just how the human mind works. We do not value or appreciate things that come easy to us. It is only the things that we had to really fight for that we truly cherish.
Joseph Joubert was a French essayist. Well-known for his Pensées, which were published after his demise, Joubert once said: “When you go in search of honey you must expect to be stung by bees.”