Why you should be doing difficult things

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Abstract

e.</p><p id="b192">We live in an age of shortcuts. They are everywhere. Things designed to make life “easier”. Smartphones, apps and lifehacks. 3 minute workouts promising your best body ever, very little effort required. Sure some of them work, but do they really make life easier? Are these tools equipping us to not only deal with life, but to flourish?</p><p id="ab27">Ever since I was very young, I have been fascinated by the worlds best athletes. Those people that seem to be at their best when the pressure is at it’s worst. They don’t just seek out difficult situations, but seem to be most alive in the middle of them. It might just be me, but they are the people that I want to be like.</p><h1 id="9c2c">How will doing what’s hard make life easier?</h1><p id="d9c2">I recently shared <a href="https://readmedium.com/f0f2da25190f?source=linkShare-aa4e6c3d704-1522642610">some thoughts</a> on a mindset towards dealing with difficult things. Here are some practicalities that go alon

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g with this mindset:</p><ul><li>Get comfortable with effort. The world hates it, but you need to love it. Great things do not come easily, they take effort.</li><li>Get very focused. Time is limited and you cannot do it all.</li><li>Consistency is key. If it’s important do it every day. If it’s not, don’t do it at all.</li><li>Avoid distractions. Things designed to entertain you are not going to help you realize you fullest potential.</li><li>Take responsibility. Waiting for the world to give what you “deserve” will waste your life. Waiting for others to change will drain your energy. Start doing something.</li></ul><p id="6f7b">We all want the easy life. Unfortunately taking the easy way out does not lead there. If you want to be great you simply cannot avoid doing the tough things. There is no app for living a significant, impactful life worth living. A great life is built, day by day, by doing those things that you would normally choose to rather not do.</p></article></body>

Why you should be doing difficult things

“If you are willing to do only what’s easy, life will be hard. But if you are willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy.” T. Harv Eker.

I have been confronted by a number of people going through tough times recently. Professional or very personal, self-inflicted or totally by accident, they have all reminded me that life can be very unforgiving. It is difficult to listen to advice on dealing with these challenges while you are in the midst of them, even less so when someone comes along saying that you should “seek out” difficulty. (To be clear, I am not saying that you should do anything dangerous or dumb to put yourself in harms way). Most difficulties are worth engaging in. Not convinced? Bear with me.

We live in an age of shortcuts. They are everywhere. Things designed to make life “easier”. Smartphones, apps and lifehacks. 3 minute workouts promising your best body ever, very little effort required. Sure some of them work, but do they really make life easier? Are these tools equipping us to not only deal with life, but to flourish?

Ever since I was very young, I have been fascinated by the worlds best athletes. Those people that seem to be at their best when the pressure is at it’s worst. They don’t just seek out difficult situations, but seem to be most alive in the middle of them. It might just be me, but they are the people that I want to be like.

How will doing what’s hard make life easier?

I recently shared some thoughts on a mindset towards dealing with difficult things. Here are some practicalities that go along with this mindset:

Get comfortable with effort. The world hates it, but you need to love it. Great things do not come easily, they take effort.

Get very focused. Time is limited and you cannot do it all.

Consistency is key. If it’s important do it every day. If it’s not, don’t do it at all.

Avoid distractions. Things designed to entertain you are not going to help you realize you fullest potential.

Take responsibility. Waiting for the world to give what you “deserve” will waste your life. Waiting for others to change will drain your energy. Start doing something.

We all want the easy life. Unfortunately taking the easy way out does not lead there. If you want to be great you simply cannot avoid doing the tough things. There is no app for living a significant, impactful life worth living. A great life is built, day by day, by doing those things that you would normally choose to rather not do.