A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor is essentially what I think Nietzsche is getting at. In order for muscle to grow, it must be torn. Growth, whether physical, emotional, artistic or intellectual comes at a cost. I don't have much more than that to say. That first quote, until we recently moved, was on my desk for years along with "If you will it, it is no dream." If we're talking quotes that TNG lives by, I have to put forth my grandfather reading Tagore. I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was duty. I acted and behold, the duty was joy. -The "acting" is often painful, but the fruits of the act and even the act itself bring joy, when you let it. I sound like a motivational speaker, I'm going to stop now :)