Overcoming obstacles is simply one tool required in the work shed of successful people. Success can be measured by the magnitude of the obstacles which have been overcome to achieve it. Not by the rank you have obtained in your chosen field. The more insurmountable the obstacle that has been surmounted, the more successful the accomplishment. Life's tools are, in all cases, found within ourselves and must be searched for and obtained at all costs.
Effort is required of the seeker and honor is bestowed on the sweat.
Important in life is to overcome, success is secondary. Inherent in life is the desire to give everything you've got - to conquer is secondary. If too much emphasis is placed on winning then too much focus is taken away from the effort you can place into the work at hand. We gain the advantage in any situation through the use of the tools we have at hand. Those who plan ahead of the approaching action will have the advantage.