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It is a curious fact and at first an incredible one that whenever an aspirant makes some effort and gets a little gain in consequence, and certainly whenever he makes a great effort and seems near a great gain, something happens in his outer life to defeat his purpose and deprive him of his gains unless he displays much discriminative prudence and more impersonal strength. In this way the evil forces and adverse destinies are permitted to test him. If they succeed in hindering him he fails. If they fail to turn him aside from the immediate objective of his quest, he succeeds in it.

-- Notebooks Category 2: Overview of Practices Involved > Chapter 3 : Uncertainties of Progress > # 113