Taking The Easy Way Out

For many of us, life isn’t that hard. At least compared to our ancestors who had bigger problems and less free time. Yet they managed to survive. They dealt with scarcity of food, diseases, dangers, and a lack of technology that we can barely imagine. I think in this way we’ve lost a lot of the natural motivators to get out there and get things done. So now it’s our responsibility to resist the temptation to take the easy way through life and to find our own reasons to push ourselves. A lot of people claim that they want to be great or do great things, but they don’t want to put in the work. They’re looking for shortcuts or cheat codes. 

Not everything that takes time is worth having, but everything worth having takes time.

Take the time to figure out what is worth having. Realize that anything worth having is going to be difficult. If it were easy, everyone would do it. It’s going to take effort and it’s going to take time. Change doesn’t happen over night. Optimization is great, but don’t think you’re going to find a way around putting in the work.

“Easy choices, hard life. Hard choices, easy life.” -Jerzy Gregorek

Everybody wants to be in great shape, but only some people workout. Everybody wants to eat well, but only some do it. Everybody wants to be rich, but only some are willing to put in the hours and make sacrifices. There is a serious difference between ‘wanting something’ and wanting something so badly that you’re willing to make real, systematic, life-altering changes in order to achieve it. Make hard choices. Consider the thing that you truly want. Choose one thing and make it your priority. If you stay consistent, you will progress, and eventually you will succeed.

In a way I’m writing this article with a version of my younger self in mind. I’ve always been a bit lazy. At a certain level, I think laziness is humans trying to be efficient without understanding the consequences. We like to accomplish tasks by putting in as little effort as possible. Why? Because it’s easier, takes less time, and is less work. Although there are flaws with this sort of short term thinking, it’s certainly understandable. So over time, I grew accustomed to not having to try very hard. I would just slide by in life, putting in minimal effort and having no immediate negative repercussions. Until of course I realized that I wasn’t going anywhere in life. My friends, family, and peers were continuing to grow and succeed, and I was continuing to get away with the bare minimum. I didn’t set my sights very high and my trajectory reflected that. If you’re okay with that, more power to you. I’m not trying to shame anyone for how they live or the choices they make. But this was my motivation. When I was living like this, I wasn’t a happy person at all. I didn’t feel good about being such an under-achiever. For years I knew that I needed to change but until I began implementing the necessary changes, not a whole lot happened. However, once I made the decision that I was going to change and become better, that’s when the real progress started. That was hands down the most beneficial decisions that I’ve ever made. To start pushing myself and to try to be a slightly better version of myself every day.

The reality is, these things aren’t easy. They’re simple, but not easy. It means to go above and beyond what’s required of you. Do more than you have to because you know it’s good for you.

If you’re the type of person who puts in the minimum effort, I challenge you to push yourself. See what you’re truly capable of. Find a reason to want to become a better version of yourself. Find your motivation. I hope by sharing my experiences I can help someone going through similar struggles.

Also, this is my 30th post, concluding my 30 posts in 30 days challenge. But I will continue to post regularly. Thank you to everyone who has followed, liked, read, or otherwise supported my blog.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Thomas Edison