Is Struggling MutuallyExclusive with BeingThankful?

Can we draw a line
between being thankful
for what we have and
struggling for what we
deserve?
Sometimes it's just so
hard, since:
1. We do not have a clear
parameter of 'what we
deserve'
2. We can't tell the
difference between
'pasrah' and 'menyerah'
Let's analyze those
factors one by one.
when we fail to achieve
something or conquer the
one we love, we often say
to ourselves "I don't
deserve this! I deserve
better!". But the question
is, what do we actually
deserve?
The question will be
easier to answer when
we talk about
educational or
professional
achievements. We, most
of the time, know our
limit. Requirements in
applying for a job, for
instance, are quite clear.
Nice GPA, fluent English,
outstanding
communication skills, and
previous experiences. But
when we talk about love,
it's a whole different
story. There are just too
many factors involved in
estimating a success rate
of wooing a man/ woman.
People's taste, a.k.a
selera, does vary. We
know general society
desires good look, smart
brain, hot body, sense of
humour,, But each person
has their own favorite
ingredients. Each person,
sometimes without their
knowing, is looking for a
unique compound. Some
put 'good look' at the top
priority, some prefer
wittiness, some are dying
for a submissive spouse,
and the list goes on and
on.
The bottomline is, we can
never be sure if we really
deserve someone, since
we had no idea what that
someone wanted at the
first place.
Next problem: are we
being 'pasrah', or
'menyerah'?
It's kinda hard to tell,
even with the famous
axiom that says 'we
should not give up before
we have done our best'.
When is the right time to
say we have done our
'best'? When we have
generated thousand
Joules of work? When we
have caught myalgia and
athralgia? When we have
left all people we loved
behind in order to attain
our dreams?
People taught us to be
'pasrah' but not
'menyerah', but
seemingly they forgot to
teach the difference
between those two
concepts.
The only moment we
know we haven't
'menyerah', and that we
have got what we
deserve, is when we have
successfully seized what
we wanted. When we
seized the triumph.
Alas, most of us is still
struggling in the race.
And while we are
relentlessly struggling,
does it mean we are not
being thankful? Coz when
you are truly thankful for
what you are possessing
right now, you should not
look for more, should
you? You should concede
that what you have right
now is what you deserve,
what is best for you.
When you believe so, are
you being thankful, or
simply indolent and
'menyerah' easily?