A difficult journey makes for a sweeter victory

Do you think that life is supposed to be a smooth ride? Some might say “I wish it was,” while others might say “I would not be who I am today if I did not go through all the ups and downs of life.” If you chose to be like the latter, then I congratulate you on your perspective on life.
I truly believe that life is supposed to be hard. We are supposed to learn from every success story, victory or tragedy that passes through our life so that, next time, we are much stronger and more resilient. I am a true fan of the saying “what does not break you makes you stronger.” Yes, it is hard to accept, but it is very true.
Just think back to all the memorable events that you went through, and see how you bounced back from them.
The events we experience in our daily life are supposed to prepare us for the bigger and better things that God has planned for us.
My advice is not to run away from these events (although it is tempting to do so) and turn a blind eye, rather embrace and analyze them as they are the learning moments or breaking points that will shape your personality and how you deal with these and future issues that come your way. It is these points in life that will take you to the next level of “you.” You might not appreciate it now, in the middle of these tough times, but it is all about the lessons learned in life, even if you do not like them.
What are the strategies or qualities that you need in order to traverse all the speed bumps in the road that life presents?
I think the most important one is to have faith that, first and foremost, everything you are going through is for your own good; no matter how bad or good it is, you just do not have the complete picture now. Secondly, you  must have faith in yourself and your abilities. It is with these qualities that you will be able to conquer life and achieve your goals.
Trust me, it does not happen overnight. You must be patient and persevere. Remember that life might play, according to you, unfair and throw a screwball to divert you from your goal, but stand your ground and focus on the end result. Not seeing instant results does not mean you should change your goal. Do not ever stop believing you can reach your goal, no matter what other people say about it. At the end of the day, it is your goal and it is your life. Play it smart and do what you think is right without harming anyone else, and you will be fine. You see the process of reaching your goal is much more important than the end goal. The person that you become — be it the character that you gained, the courage that you developed or the strong faith that you exhibited — is far more important than just reaching the goal.
Life was never meant to be a smooth ride; it is the speed bumps in the road that make the ride of reaching your goal much more interesting.

Dr. Taghreed Al-Saraj is a best-selling Saudi author, international public speaker and entrepreneurship mentor.