Conundrum I - Universe's sign vs Tireless efforts

(Pre-Script - Here I am not getting into correct goal setting, coz we can't judge someone if their goal is correct or not, it is perspective based... If everyone perceives it to be bad then may be that perception is being developed by the society that we live in and we all share a common perspective, so let's not get into correct goal setting debate on this post...

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I was always being troubled by the choice of either giving up or putting in efforts, whenever I was confronted with a hindrance.

Accepting failure or a sad event as a universe's sign has been proven to be a philosophically/mythologically correct thing by many old stories and many many personal incidents as well...

(Like missing a train, and then getting to know that train being robbed)

And tirelessly putting in efforts to reach for what you aimed for, is yet again, proven by many many stories and a few personal experiences...

(Be it the ant's climbing story, or passing competitive exams at multiple attempts, we've seen, heard and lived many such incidents)

So, this always bothered me, which one to choose?

When to give up and accept something as a universe's sign, helping us to avoid something which comes as a bigger harm in the later journey ?

And when should we thrive for what we aim for and enjoy the sweetness of the hard won victory neglecting all the odds and the bumps on our way?

One theory could say that, those bad things that we assume can be avoided by accepting defeat is just a big bump that we fear and that fear makes us feel that it was better to give up and accept defeat. Basically by doing this, we console ourselves to obliviate the guilt of giving up or justifying a lose.

This one seems to be the one that strips away cowards and self soothers who always try to justify their each and every situation...

But another might say that over determination of a flawed goal can lead someone to go through high bumps to achieve a goal, which is not worth it...

This one basically strips away the overconfident/ overly determined people who give all in.

So the question that I have in my mind is, how to find that sweet balance in between, to lead a proper successful life without having the guilt of giving up and the scars of wrong turns taken in life, just to reach the goal...

And yet again, the solution that I think of is, stay off the extremes !!!

Would love to hear your views as well!