In an ancient Greek parable called The Choice of Hercules, young Hercules was walking down a path when he encountered a crossroad. On the left, the goddess of virtue appears; on the right, the goddess of vice appears.
Kaia, the goddess of vice, tells Hercules that her name is Happiness. She promises Hercules a life of pleasure, he will not have to work a day in his life; he can eat all that he wants and sleep with as many people as he desires. And he will live out his life without ever encountering hardship.
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Arete, the goddess of virtue, tells Hercules that if he chooses to follow her, his life will be extraordinarily challenging. He will be constantly faced with adversities and pain. But in the end, he will experience true joy and wisdom, and he will achieve greatness.
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Hercules chose the path of virtue and went on to become a hero of Rome and a God.
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“What would have become of Hercules do you think if there had been no lion, hydra, stag or boar - and no savage criminals to rid the world of? What would he have done in the absence of such challenges? Obviously, he would have just rolled over in bed and gone back to sleep. So by snoring his life away in luxury and comfort he never would have developed into the mighty Hercules. And even if he had, what good would it have done him? What would have been the use of those arms, that physique, and that noble soul, without crises or conditions to stir into him action?” - Epictetus (discourses, 15 - against the skeptics)
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Cody