Student says, “I am very discouraged. What should I do?” Master says, “encourage others”.
This is similar to “one beam cannot support a house” in the sense that each action is this quote is perceived as a support beam. For one’s overall development, there can and should be many skills learned. One can be how to stay motivated and encouraged though difficult times. Another important, but completely different skillset, is how to encourage and motivate other people.
These skills are related in that they have to do with motivation, but they work because they are different. When encouraging others, you have to look at the other person, listen to their concerns and discouragement, then objectively find a way to reach them to become motivated. When going through this process, it becomes easier to take an objective look at yourself and overcome your own obstacles.