It has been said that “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor,” mainly because a sailor needs to experience all sorts of adverse conditions in their sailing of the sea, in order then to learn how to successfully deal with such, and those sailors who have not experienced those adverse and unexpected conditions are therefore not going to be nearly as skilled in the handling of such, when they so come, which they inevitably will.
In life, there is many a person that does not desire challenges whatsoever, for basically they desire instead to have nothing but clear skies and smooth sailing throughout their entire life. While there is something to be said, about desiring things to go exceedingly well, the bottom line is that when we are not tested, or when we fear to properly test ourselves by engaging in those areas of life which we are actually meant to bravely face, or to prepare ourselves well to face such, then it is a certainty that we are surely not going to be able to achieve all that we are capable of achieving, along also with the knowing that we probably should have at least risen up to do so.
Indeed, the most important things to achieve in this life, are those accomplishments that take a great deal of time, effort, and labor, of which, because the pathway is arduous and not predetermined, we appreciate it all the more when we finally accomplish those very things, of which, it is especially pleasing when we take into consideration that it was never a certainty that we would successfully do so. This means, that in the effort to achieve our goals, we will invariably have to deal with situations that are both unexpected and undesired, of which, we are meant then to deal with such with aplomb as well as an abiding desire to overcome those obstacles so that we can fairly earn the prize that we have our heart so set upon.
So too, when we, for example, discuss with the surgeon our upcoming operation, we want to hear from them, not only that they have the experience, knowledge, and knowhow to successfully perform such a surgery, but also that they have had to at some previous point, deal with a situation that enabled them to increase their skill set because they were put to the test, that took them way beyond theory, and into the practicality of taking their virtuosity to a level previously never experienced, and subsequently efficaciously dealt with.
All those that want nothing but the easy road, are those too laidback to actually ever amount to what they could or should become. In this world, we will be tested, and that which once appeared to be smooth sailing is going to at some point change to something far more challenging, of which, that challenge is not meant to break us, but rather it is that challenge which is meant to make us; and those then that are best prepared for those troubled waters, consisting of adversity and setbacks, are the very ones that will through this experience, as well as their foresight, and their ingenuity, safely reach their desired destination, through their skill as a sailor.