There is a fairly common human tendency to conflate pain with progress.
Healthy food tastes bad, therefore this bad-tasting food must be good for me.
Exercise hurts, therefore hurting myself must make me stronger.
This is, obviously, not true.

The bigger problem, of course, comes when one is dealing with emotional pain.
Sacrificing for others is laudable, therefore wearing yourself out on someone else's behalf is virtuous.
Recovering from trauma instills strength, therefore enduring trauma builds character.
Dangerous.

The BIGGER bigger problem is when one applies these ideas to others.
Building yourself up from poverty is a success story, therefore no handouts.
Discipline makes you stronger, therefore beat the hell out of your kids.
Et cetera.

That's why I think it's important to show at least some instances of progress without pain.
Kale salads that taste good. Exercise that's fun and doesn't make you sore. Being strong without having to have gotten hurt. Loving others without needing to compromise yourself.

There is strength that comes from overcoming adversity, of course. Stories of triumphing over adversity are valid and valuable. But we should never confuse enduring adversity with virtue, and we should actively FIGHT any attempt to create adversity for adversity's sake.