How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Struggle

If you're reaching for the top.... then you better be prepared to climb
And if you're starting at the bottom, then remember this could take a long time
But if you're looking for the easy route, then honey get in line
Sit back, relax, and tell your dreams never mind
Turn around and walk away if you wanna live in the past
And veer off into this shortcut if you're tryna get to nowhere.. fast
See they'll give you the directions to easy street, but then forget to mention
That the road to hell is paved with good intentions
But the road to success? Well the road to success isn't paved at all
It's a rocky, uphill slope guaranteed to make you fall
If you don't hold on, hold on to your dreams
You gotta keep on climbing.. even when it seems
Like all hope is lost
Remember that struggle is the cost
For greatness
And you could blame it on the system
And make yourself the victim
If you wanna be swallowed by the city
And wallow in self-pity
But no, not you, you're better than that
You won't settle for that
You'll learn to stomach everything, so nothing will ever satisfy your hunger
Your hands will bear the mark of centuries, so you'll know you're not getting any younger
See one day you'll stand tall, brave face, and unrattled heart
But you can't win the war.. without a few battles scars
So here they are
A slice on the knuckles because they said that you were weak
One across your face because you learned how to turn the other cheek
A gash on your Achilles's heel because they didn't want you to reach the peak
And one slashed tongue because you were never afraid to speak
They left a scar from your eye to your ear cause they couldn't comprehend how to see your words and hear your fashion
And stabbed you in the heart because they cowered in fear of so much passion
But they failed in all attempts to break your spirit and halt your course
And instead created a MONSTER, an unstoppable force
You can lick your own wounds, cause you're used to the taste
And when they tell you that you can't HA you'll laugh in their face
Cause while they're standing in place, you'll be running the race
Victory tastes the sweetest when you fight for it
Sleep can wait, there will be other nights for it
So don't stop now
If you never fail, then you won't know how
To win
If you've never seen the journey, then you'll never see the end
So never say no to hard work, and never bow down to any obstacle
Because struggle does not hinder success.. it makes it.. possible