Pace yourself and be ready for the long term so you don't give up short of the goal

"True happiness can be gained through human action, but it lies in a dimension beyond the confines of space, time, and change. It’s the best possible goal. In some cases, it can be attained in this life, but in others it may take two lifetimes or many more. So, the perfections ask you to take the attitude of a marathon runner. Pace yourself and be ready for the long term so that you don’t give up before you’ve arrived at the goal."

~ Thanissaro Bhikkhu "Good Heart, Good Mind: The Practice of the Ten Perfections"

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