A wall appears only before those who can clear it

Background

Ichiro said this when speaking about how he faced difficulties and slumps. He treated the very act of hitting a wall as proof of progress and as a chance to grow.

Lesson for Today

Hardship comes only to those who are moving forward. When a wall appears, reframe it: this is where you grow. Let it be a reason to take up the challenge, not to lose heart.

Meaning

“A wall appears only before those who can clear it. It comes only to those with a chance of getting over it. So when a wall is there, I see it as an opportunity.”–These words capture how Ichiro faced hardship and slumps.

Hitting a wall is proof of how far you have come, and it appears precisely because you have the power to overcome it. A wall, he said, is a chance to rise one level higher.