When we make decisions, we weigh up the struggle against the potential benefit. At times, however, it is precisely that struggle that begets the potential benefit.

We can give ourselves challenges as a kind of contained struggle; a struggle without the real risk, so to speak. This is because we believe that by getting through this struggle, or by seeing how we react in trying to get through the struggle, we learn about ourselves, and we benefit.

Of course most of the struggle we have is not optional. But by giving ourselves challenges and seeing how we do deal with struggle, we can see that we have a choice about how we deal with real struggle when it arises. Which is to say, there are real benefits in challenging ourselves and getting through struggle, real or otherwise.