A Quote by Theodore Roosevelt on defeat, failure, suffering, and victory

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the grey twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)

Source: Speech before the Hamilton Club, Chicago, April 10,1899

Far better it is to reach out into unknown territory of the Spirit, to desire to attain the experience of seeing God in one another as well as within this very body, to see nothing but the divine everywhere, than to presume the quest is without value.

This could be rephrased for many as follows:
 

Far better it is to reach out into unknown territory of the Spirit, to desire to attain the experience of seeing God in one another as well as within this very body, to see nothing but the divine everywhere, than to presume the quest is without value.

Even though we often relapse into our former patterns that don’t serve our progress, and we often think we’ve failed again on our spiritual practices, it is far better than the experience of those poor in spirit who neither engage in life or suffer the pain of risking an opening heart or the anguish of the yearning for God because they live in the illusion of the safety of non-participation.

Dr. Carell Zaehn

Yes, the journey preceeds the destination before arrival.
Presumably, should we posses no issues requiring resolution, we would not be here, in effect, without purpose.