“If it were easy, then everyone would do it.”
You’ve often heard this said in defence of a hard pursuit.
I’d like to offer a better defence.
If it were easy, then everyone would do it … well aren’t there easy things that we avoid doing all the time?
Sending a random text to your best friend saying you love them.
Flossing.
Writing down something you’re grateful for each day.
Stretching.
Putting a dish in the dishwasher (not the sink).
I could go on.
We don’t do hard things because easy things are more commonplace.
We do hard things because often, hard things are simply worth doing.
Next time you’re faced with a hard pursuit, here’s a better defence:
It’s hard, I know it is. Of all the things I could focus my energy and attention on, I have chosen this. I know a future version of me will look back and be grateful for the way this pursuit has shaped me. I know that this will allow me to experience aspects of myself that only the most challenging moments can bring to light. I know that there are easier options, one being not doing what I’m about to do, and I am choosing to ignore those options. I know this pursuit will bring me closer to what I truly value, so it’s something I am running toward, not away from.
In short:
It’s hard, and it’s worth it.
