The saying “No pains, no gains” is almost universally accepted because of the plain yet philosophical moral it teaches: if one wants to achieve something, he has to work harder and tolerate more than others. The saying is true of any pursuit man seeks. Whatever one wishes to accomplish, he has to exert himself to forge ahead, for nobody can expect anything for nothing.

A case in point is boxing. While we heap cheers on the winner, how many happen to realize that his gold belt is won at the cost of his sweat, tears, blood over years and sometimes even at threat of his life before the arrival of that exciting moment? Whatever worthy we do, wherever we are, we should bear in mind: never expect anything for nothing. Success does not bother to visit the one who does not, bit by bit, prepare for it. Success and good fortune are always trying to find the best prepared.

The plain truth of the saying is also expressed in such famous sayings as “If we want light, then we must first conquer darkness.” and “Failure is the mother of success.” signaling that efforts and hard work always come before success. By and large, if we are determined to accomplish anything worthy, we should convince ourselves that “Never dream of gains without pains, and we should learn to give before getting.”