Innocent once spent a long time trying to escape a hard situation — and then, when the easy exit finally appeared, noticed how much the difficulty had given him. So he did something odd on purpose: he stayed on the hard road a little longer. “Deliberately choosing the hard way, even with an easy way within your reach, gives you a chance to benefit from the lessons that challenges teach, and the skills they impart.”

The hardship had challenged and stretched him into more than comfort ever would. It taught dedication, sacrifice, and the habit of competing with himself.

The point isn’t to chase suffering. It’s to stop fleeing every difficulty on reflex — some of them are the fastest teachers you’ll ever get.