Quote  ·  Added 28 February 2026

Struggle is the meaning of life; defeat or victory is in the hands of God. But struggle itself is man’s duty and should be his joy.

Filed understruggle·duty·joy

Reading

AI generated

Find joy in the doing

There's something almost rebellious about finding joy in struggle itself, especially when we're trained to believe happiness means finally reaching the finish line. We're told to endure the hard parts so we can get to the good parts—but this idea flips that completely. The point isn't to white-knuckle through difficulty hoping it ends. The point is to actually find something worthwhile in the doing.

Think about why people stay in hobbies or relationships or work projects that constantly challenge them. A musician doesn't practice scales because she's convinced that someday she'll be "done" practicing. A parent doesn't raise children because they're waiting for it to become effortless. They do these things because there's something real and alive in the effort itself. When you stop treating struggle as punishment you're enduring on the way to real life, and start seeing it as where real life actually happens, everything shifts.

The second part—that outcomes are beyond our control—actually makes this more freeing, not less. You can't always win. Things fall apart despite your best efforts. But what you can control is whether you show up and genuinely engage. That's not grim resignation. That's where your actual power lives, and where meaning gets built.

The author

Aga Khan III

1877–1957·lived 79 years

Aga Khan III, born Sultan Muhammad Shah on November 2, 1877, was the 48th Imam of the Nizari Ismaili Shia Muslim community and served from 1885 until his death in 1957. He is known for his significant contributions to the development of education and healthcare in Muslim societies, as well as for his role in promoting interfaith dialogue and social progress. Additionally, he served as the President of the All-India Muslim League and played a key part in the political landscape of India during the British colonial period.

Comments

Sign in