Avoid Taking The Easy Way

Most of us have become so accustomed to seeking the easiest route possible to our goals (or anything in life) that we are easily intimidated by difficulty. We’ve become a fast-food-drive-thru-no-waiting-instant-gratification society; we want what we want - and we want it now!

As wonderful and helpful as some of our modern technological advancements can be, they have also spoiled us terribly. We’ve forgotten the joy of anticipation and the satisfaction to be gained from hard work and patience. Even worse, we have a hard time getting motivated about something that we have to work toward rather than obtaining it right now.

In order to build up your self-control and keep your motivation strong, get into the habit of avoiding taking the easy way out of anything. Whether you are working toward some big goals or focusing on personal development or seeking a promotion at work – roll up your sleeves and get to work! Dive into the pleasure of giving your full focus and effort to each task you do, and allow yourself to bask in the satisfaction of a job well done.

Overall, there is nothing detrimental about shortcuts or automation if they will save time and energy yet still ensure the same quality of outcome.

The problem develops when you start sacrificing quality for speed. When the outcome becomes more important than the journey, you stop caring how well something is done and focus only on how quickly it is done.

Not only does this detract from the benefits you would have gained through personal and professional mastery, it limits your progress in everything you do! As the old saying goes, “anything worth doing is worth doing well”.

If you want to stay motivated and contribute a high level of excellence to everything you do, make a commitment to avoid taking the easy way out unless there are clear benefits in doing so.

Believe it or not, the more difficult a task appears to be, the more likely you are to devote your full attention and effort to it. You’ll feel the power in giving your all to a chore, and you’ll reap equally powerful results because of it. You’ll learn to revel in the sense of satisfaction you get from taking on a challenge and making it work for you, rather than weakening your inner strength and detracting from your character.

This is very much a process, not usually an instantaneous shift. Especially if you are used to taking the easy way out all the time, it may require strong willpower to force yourself to do the hard work instead. But once you do, and once you keep doing it as often as possible, you’ll find yourself growing stronger and stronger, and develop the motivation to keep at it.

Before long you’ll realize you don’t feel the least bit intimidated by the prospect of hard work, patience or perseverance. Never again will you be intimidated by fear or uncertainty because you’ll be strong enough internally to take on any challenge! And that can change your life in profound ways.