You are in battery park city and want to go to 125th & broadway. You can take the Westside highway, FDR, local...there might be more traffic on one route than others, but as long as you are heading towards the right direction, eventually you will get there. But if you took the manhattan bridge, brooklyn bridge or NJ turnpike, you may drive faster on these roads(...ok not really but you know what i mean) but you will never get to the destination.
You don't like your current job, or not LOVING your job. But you are in the right industry and right department. You may go to business school, take on extra responsiblities, work 80 hours a week...as long as you are doing whatever it takes to get the promotion, eventually, you will get it. If you keep complaining about it, slacking at work, jump in between jobs...you will never get to where you want to be.
You met a guy/girl, he/she is not exactly how you pictured the "Miss/Mr Perfect" but he/she has the major qualities that you are looking for, he/she shares the same values as you. You two may have difficult times here and there, just like the traffic when you are driving to 125th and broadway; you may question yourself if you are even the right track. Once again, as long as both of you heading towards the right direction. You will get there. Otherwise, you will stuck in the bridges and tunnels wondering why you are still single.
Now the million dollar question is: How do you know if you are on the right track?