This quote emphasizes the importance of having a clear purpose and direction in life, even when one is putting in effort and showing courage. Essentially, it means that hard work and bravery alone are not sufficient to achieve success or make progress. One must also have a clear goal or purpose, and a plan or direction to achieve that goal.

Think of it like this: you’re in a boat in the middle of the ocean. You’re rowing with all your might (effort) and despite the stormy seas (courage), but if you don’t know where you’re going (purpose) or how to get there (direction), all your hard work and bravery are wasted. You’re just tiring yourself out, going in circles.

In today’s world, this idea is more relevant than ever. We live in a society that often values busyness and hard work for their own sake. We’re encouraged to always be doing something, always be pushing forward, without necessarily stopping to think about why we’re doing these things or where we’re going. This can lead to burnout, dissatisfaction, and a feeling of emptiness, because we’re putting in so much effort without a clear purpose or direction.

In terms of personal development, this quote suggests that it’s important to not only work hard and face our fears, but also to have clear goals and a plan for achieving them. This might mean taking time to really think about what we want in life, what our values are, and what kind of person we want to be. It also means making a plan for how to achieve these things, rather than just blindly working hard and hoping for the best. This could involve setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, and regularly checking in on our progress towards these goals.