What was it that Teddy Roosevelt said? The “strenuous life” makes us better?
Our inborn talents do not define us. We define ourselves by what we make of them. Weaknesses are not merely something to be coped with, but a factor of our being that we can change, through faith and perseverance.
Also, this guy has a novel. Highly recommended.
Sometimes, becoming stronger entails purposefully becoming worse so you can set aside talents and struggle to conquer weakness. Focus is shifted from successful comfort to audacious evolution.
In this way, an inner pilgrimage can be made without outwardly having to take a single step.
From the City on a Hill 