It is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is best from the top.

The saying contrasts the ease of taking the “downhill” path—choices that require less effort, discipline, or courage—with the harder work of climbing toward a goal. Bennett’s image suggests that immediate comfort often comes at the cost of perspective: the most rewarding understanding, satisfaction, or achievement is gained only after sustained exertion. The “view from the top” implies not just success but clarity—seeing farther, grasping proportions, and appreciating what the struggle has produced. In a moral or practical sense, it encourages perseverance and delayed gratification, arguing that difficulty is not a sign of error but a common feature of worthwhile aims.