Don't let life discourage you; everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was.

The saying is a compact encouragement against discouragement and self-comparison. It reframes “where I am now” as the universal starting point shared by every person who later appears accomplished. The second clause counters the illusion of effortless success by insisting on a common trajectory: progress begins from ordinary, imperfect circumstances and is made through time, persistence, and incremental steps. The quote’s moral force lies in shifting attention from outcomes (where others are) to process (how anyone gets anywhere), suggesting that present limitations are not disqualifying but simply the beginning of a path.