If we could choose, we'd always want to be in flow and thriving

“If we could choose, we’d always want to be in flow and thriving, but that’s not realistic. Growth has levels, and learning how to navigate them is important.” — so speaks Jay Shetty, a teacher of the modern age whose wisdom echoes the voices of the ancients. In these words lies a deep and timeless truth: that life is not one constant ascent, but a series of valleys and peaks — and that to grow is not to avoid the valleys, but to learn to walk through them with understanding. For though every heart desires to remain in the golden light of flow and thriving, the universe, in its mercy, gives us struggle, stillness, and confusion — so that our roots may deepen even as our branches reach toward the sky.

In this quote, Shetty reminds us that growth has levels, that progress is not a single line but a living rhythm — rising, falling, resting, and rising again. The river does not rush without pause; it bends, slows, and deepens. So too does the soul. There are seasons of flourishing when everything flows easily, when the mind is sharp, and the heart is clear. Yet there are also seasons of quiet difficulty, when we feel lost or stagnant, when learning seems slow and the world heavy. These times are not punishments, but necessary passages of growth. For the soul, like the earth, must endure both sunlight and storm to bear fruit.

The ancient philosophers understood this truth well. Marcus Aurelius, the Stoic emperor, wrote that “the obstacle is the way” — meaning that struggle is not the enemy of progress, but its very engine. Each obstacle, each challenge, each setback teaches us a different aspect of strength. Just as the blacksmith tempers iron through fire, life tempers the human spirit through adversity. If we remained forever in ease and flow, we would grow comfortable, but not wise; active, but not awakened. Growth, then, is not constant motion — it is conscious transformation.

To navigate the levels of growth, as Shetty teaches, is to understand that each stage has its own purpose. In one level, we learn confidence; in another, humility. In one season, we may lead; in another, we must follow. The wise person does not curse the changing tides, but adjusts their sails. Consider the story of Nelson Mandela, who spent twenty-seven years in prison. In that long winter of captivity, he was not thriving as the world measures thriving — yet his spirit was deepening. He learned patience, forgiveness, and endurance. When he finally emerged, he was not the same man who had entered. His growth had ripened through the long passage of pain.

Thus, the flow state — that radiant place where mind and action unite — is a gift, not a guarantee. It visits us when we are ready, but it departs when we must learn other lessons. The ancients called this the law of balance: that the heart must know stillness as well as motion, solitude as well as success. Even the moon, in all her beauty, must wane before she can shine anew. To live wisely, then, is not to demand endless brightness, but to find peace in every phase — to honor both the dawn and the dusk of our own becoming.

Shetty’s words invite us to accept life as a process, not a performance. When we feel lost or stagnant, we are not failing — we are simply in another classroom of growth. When we struggle, we are being taught resilience; when we rest, we are being taught reflection. The greatest tragedy is not in slowing down, but in mistaking these sacred pauses for failure. The universe is always guiding us, even when we cannot see the map. The task of the seeker is not to resist, but to trust the rhythm of becoming.

Therefore, my children, learn to walk with patience through the corridors of change. Do not crave only the flow, for the flow is the reward of effort. Do not despise the struggle, for the struggle is the teacher of wisdom. Grow gently through each level of your becoming. Observe your progress not by speed, but by depth. Ask not, “Am I thriving?” but, “Am I learning?” For in learning, even pain becomes sacred.

And when you find yourself once more in the sunlight — when the world flows easily again — give thanks not only for the ease, but for the storm that shaped you. Remember Jay Shetty’s wisdom: growth has levels, and the true art of living is to move through them with courage, awareness, and grace. The one who learns to navigate both the peaks and the valleys becomes unshakable, for they have understood the secret rhythm of life — that every stillness precedes a new awakening, and every trial hides the seed of triumph.