Why does it have to be easy?

I came across a blog post the other day. The title read something like “Blog content made easy.” The first thing that poped in my mind was — Why does it always have to be easy? It seems like everywhere you turn, it’s about making things easy: “9 easy ways to lose weight”, “cooking made easy”, “quick and easy”… Of course, it’s all about selling a dream. The dream that you can add this new thing (writing content, cooking, exercising, etc.) to whatever you are doing now and you’ll still be back in time to watch Modern Family.

The thing is, as Seth Godin argues in We are all weird (Affiliate link), we’re increasingly rich. More and more us. By rich, he means the opportunity to choose. To choose between chocolate or vanilla ice cream; to choose between, horror or comedy; to choose between TV or exercise; to chose between a staff meeting and writing content. As a result, as Clay Shirky’s Cognitive Surplus (Affiliate link) points out, we have more time than ever and we’re using it to build and create.

That’s when you realize that it isn’t easy. I’m reading Onward (Affiliate link) by Howard Schultz and Joanne Gordon about how Starbucks came back from deep financial problems…and it’s not easy. Just when they think they’re doing everything right — the right decisions, the right plan, the right priorities — it gets worst. If you read Gary Vaynerchuk’s Crush It! (Affiliate link) you again find out that it’s not easy; “cashing in on your passion” is about working from 6pm to 2am.

A matter of priorities

What does this mean for us? Really it all boils down to priorities. If you’re rich enough to choose, you’re going to have to prioritize. Am I going to watch TV and numb my brain or am I going to read a book? Am I going to go for a walk or write a blog post? Am I going to work out or watch a movie? There’s really no right answer, just choices…hard choices.

Don’t kid yourself

It’s never easy. No one has ever “made it,” whatever your definition of making it is, with easy. It’s long, hard work. In the end some tactics and how-to’s might be easier than you think, but it’s the priorities and relentless dedication to achieving goals that’s hard.

Don’t kid yourself, it’s not easy and at some point, you’re going to have to do the work.

(Photo credit: Jason Lengstorf)