Hard times create tough men, tough men create good times, good times create weak men, weak men create tough times.

Michael Hopf

I experienced this first hand, in fact I attribute where I am now to the hard times I endured that fueled my desire to better myself and my standing in life.

Without those times of desperation, helplessness and hopelessness I may not be the person I am today.

I developed the conviction that I can do better and I deserve better. And if I were to live a better life, I got to deserve it, I got to work for it cause no one is gonna give it to me and even if there’s someone who would give it to me, I’ll end up depending on that person and that’s not being better.

There was a time when I imagined a different reality in my mind, with what I accomplished so far, what if I moved to Canada way sooner? Will I achieve more? Will I be happier or will I be worse?

On a flat pavement a vehicle can only go as far as it can relative to the gas in it. Without fuel it will go nowhere. Without my hardships I might not have been forced to adapt.

We are all aware of that,it’s just that other people choose to ignore it.

How about the downside of prosperity or good times?

Even if you deserve the good times, the people around you may not. If you’re not careful, your success that you share with the people around you could deprive them of the necessary hardships that make them stronger and better as a person and most importantly, deserving of the good times.

It’s like spotting someone in the gym. If the spotter is lifting most if not all of the weight, the person lying on the bench will not see any improvement to his body and strength regardless how many times he goes to the gym and what time he wakes up.

Carl Jung used this analogy towards devouring mothers and how they are impeding the growth if not unintentionally sabotaging the life of their child.

At what cost?

Everything costs something.

As hard times can make people better, good times can encourage sloth, dependency and incompetence.