“We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard. Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills.” — JFK, September 1962, Putting a Man on the Moon
Are you doing things because they are easy?
So is everyone else.
It’s difficult to stand out from the crowd when you are doing exactly what everyone else is doing — talking about things they wish they would do, living as if asleep. If I just had more time… If I just had more money… If I just was a little more this, a little less that…
I’ve thought it myself. I’ve experienced the consuming feeling that I’m not good enough, nor ever will be. Not good enough for my dreams. not good enough for mastery or creativity. Not good enough for happiness.
BS.
Defining your life around expectations and frustrated with yourself because of who you are and who you’re not is not a meaningful way to live.
Difficulty defines us. It doesn’t tell us who we can or can’t be — it shows us who we could be with work, stamina and creativity. Seeking difficultly gives us an opportunity to measure who we are, and strive to be better the next round.
There’s no doubt about it, hard challenges are HARD, but they also channel your energy towards a goal. Easy challenges are a great way to half*ss your way through life. Just like you are what you eat, you are how you act.
What we do defines our character. How does cutting corners, choosing the easy or even default option define you as? Resilient? Inspiring? Wise? Or exactly what we don’t want to be.
Seek Difficultly, not for difficultly’s sake, but rather to experience the kind of life you can have when you channel your energy towards a massive goal that’s bigger than yourself.
STAY BOLD, Keep Pursuing,
— Josh Waggoner
