Let’s just put it out there: Most of us spend our lives searching for the hack, the shortcut, the path with the fewest thorns. But here’s the secret your heart already knows and your brain keeps trying to ignore—there is no easy way. Not really.
You want life to be easier? Good. Do the hard things first.
I know, I know. That’s not what the podcasts are promising you. That’s not what your favorite influencer is selling you for $29.99 a month. But the more you chase easy, the harder life will slap you in the face. I’m not trying to be dramatic. I’m just telling you the truth.
Chasing Easy is a Trap
You want your marriage to be easy? Ignore the hard conversations. Don’t bring up that thing that’s been simmering under the surface for years. Don’t admit when you’re scared or angry or embarrassed. Just keep scrolling. Keep pretending. Eventually, that “easy” marriage gets real hard.
Want your health to be easy? Keep avoiding the gym. Keep saying you’ll start eating better “tomorrow.” Ignore that your body is begging you to move, to put down the phone, to go outside. Pretty soon, those “easy” choices turn into doctors, prescriptions, and regret.
Your finances? Same story. Swipe the credit card, lease the car you can’t afford, tell yourself you deserve it, that you’ll worry about the bill later. Then spend the next decade drowning in stress, fighting with your spouse, wondering how the hell you got here. Easy now, hard later.
The Hard Way is the Shortcut
Here’s the rub, friend: The hard way is actually the shortcut.
Doing the right thing when nobody’s watching. Having the awkward conversations. Setting boundaries. Getting up early when you don’t want to. Admitting when you’re wrong. Choosing discipline instead of comfort. That’s the stuff that builds a life you actually want to live.
Let me tell you something as a guy who’s made just about every dumb mistake you can think of: Pain is coming for all of us. Life will break your heart. You don’t get to choose whether you’ll hurt—you only get to choose why. Will it be the pain of discipline, or the pain of regret?
That’s it. That’s the whole deal.
It’s Supposed to Be Hard
Listen: Doing life the hard way isn’t punishment. It’s not because you’re broken or defective. It’s because you’re human. You were made for this stuff. Struggle isn’t a sign you’re failing; it’s a sign you’re doing it right.
We’re living in a world that tells you it should be easy, you should be happy all the time, and if it’s not, something’s wrong with you. That’s a lie. Anything worth having—a strong marriage, a healthy body, a healthy mind, deep friendships, meaningful work—it’s all hard. On purpose. And that’s good.
The Invitation
You don’t have to earn your worth. You’re already worthy. But if you want a life that’s lighter and more meaningful, step into the hard things on purpose. Ask for forgiveness. Tell the truth, even when it sucks. Make the call. Go for a walk. Eat something green. Start the budget. Have the scary conversation.
Your future self will thank you. And so will your spouse. And your kids. And your friends. And most importantly, so will the person you see in the mirror every morning.
Stop chasing easy. Choose hard now. Make your life easier later.
And if you’re tired, if you feel like you’re the only one struggling, just know: You’re not broken. You’re not alone. You’re a human, and you’re in good company.
Let’s do the hard things, together.
13. Bought a bunch of bitcoin when it was $500, bought a bunch of Tesla stock when it was cheap (basis of $12), bought and held Nvidia when it was at around $7.30 (pre-splits) back in 2003.
I bought Nvidia because I’m a gamer and thought it had potential, no idea it’d eventually blow up like it did.
14. Sorry, but my home run was staying put and slogging it out. There were several times when opportunities came up to change (especially tempting during the Dot Com boom), the home run decision for me was not changing, just slogging.