Not every opportunity in life is unlocked by ease, luck, or perfect timing. Some doors—often the most meaningful ones—only open when we struggle. They respond not to comfort, but to persistence. They recognize effort, resilience, and the strength built in hard moments.
Struggle isn’t something we ask for, but it often delivers something we never knew we needed.
Struggle Shapes Who We Become
We often see struggle as a detour from the path we hoped to walk. But sometimes, it is the path.
It’s through struggle that we discover who we are when things aren’t easy. When everything feels uphill, we learn to push. When we fall, we learn to rise. These moments forge character in a way comfort never could.
As philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said,
“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”
It’s not just about surviving the hard moments — it’s about what you become because of them.
The Doors That Only Open With Effort
Think about the people you admire most — the ones who are wise, grounded, brave, or successful. Chances are, their growth came from moments that tested them.
- The door to resilience opens only when you’ve been knocked down and gotten back up.
- The door to empathy opens when you’ve been broken and still chose kindness.
- The door to confidence opens when you’ve done something hard — and proven to yourself that you could.
- The door to wisdom opens through loss, reflection, and learning the hard way.
We don’t walk through these doors by accident. We earn our way through them.
Why We Resist Struggle
Struggle feels like failure. Like a sign that we’re not doing something right. But the truth is, it’s often a sign that we’re growing beyond what we’re used to. Growth doesn’t feel good in the moment. It feels like discomfort, doubt, and fear.
But as author Haruki Murakami wrote,
“When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what the storm is all about.”
The struggle isn’t proof that you’re weak. It’s proof that you’re stretching — reaching for something beyond where you started.
The Quiet Gifts of Struggle
There’s something honest about struggle. It strips away illusions and forces us to confront what truly matters.
It teaches us:
- Patience — because growth takes time.
- Gratitude — because we stop taking the small wins for granted.
- Clarity — because pain often reveals what we care about most.
- Strength — because we realize we’re capable of more than we thought.
As Leonard Cohen wrote in his song Anthem:
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
Sometimes, struggle breaks us open in ways that allow the light to reach us — and for us to share our light with others.
How to Keep Going When It Gets Hard
- Remember what’s on the other side.
There’s often something worth fighting for — a version of yourself you haven’t met yet. - Don’t go through it alone.
Talk to people. Share your story. Let others help you carry the weight. - Let go of perfection.
Struggle isn’t clean or pretty. It’s messy. But mess doesn’t mean failure. It means movement. - Reframe the story.
Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” try asking, “What could this be teaching me?” - Keep moving — even slowly.
One small step forward still counts. Struggle doesn’t require speed. It requires staying in it.
Final Thought
You might not see it now, but the struggle you’re in could be opening something bigger than you imagined. A deeper strength. A new direction. A version of you that only shows up when tested.
The door ahead might feel locked. But it could be waiting — not for ease, not for perfect timing — but for your courage.
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein
Keep going. Some doors don’t open until you push through the storm.