What comes easy is usually horribly bad for you.

What comes easy is usually horribly bad for you.

In another posting, I noted:

"What comes easy is usually horribly bad for you - just think about it for a second."

And as I typed those words, I thought to myself, "Gee, that was actually a profound thought, Bob!"  Maybe there is a generalization we can make here.  Things that come easy in life are bad for you, and things that are hard to do are good for you.  Maybe this provides a simple road-map to happiness.

It makes sense, if you think about it.  Think about things that are fun to do and easy and pleasurable.  Are they good for you?

1. Fast Food

2. Booze

3. Easy Sex

4. Drugs

5. E-Z Financing

6. Buy Now - Pay Later!

7. Put temp tags on it and drive it home tonight!

8. Nothing-down mortgages, Variable Rate Mortgages

9. Spending money

10.  Watching TeeVee

Just about any time someone offers you instant gratification, it usually comes with strings attached - usually to your wallet.


Now think about things that are good for you.  They are all HARD to do!

1.  Work

2.  Exercise

3.  Eating Right

4.  Not cheating on your spouse

5.  Not drinking too much

6.  Saving money

7. Reading a Book

8.  Learning

9.  Spending Less

10.  Delayed Gratification

If you think about this for a minute, the answer to getting ahead is simple:  Just do hard things.  Take Calculus instead of Sociology.  Eat a salad instead of a Big Mac.  Drink water instead of Lite Beer.  Go for a walk instead of watching TeeVee.  Drive the speed limit instead of racing everywhere.

Of course, that goes against the American way, these days.  We are told that lazy thinking is the way to to - blame your problems on immigrants, or the opposing party, or whatever.  Nothing is your fault.  You should not only not work hard - you should have it easier.   That is the message we are getting.

But I think on a personal level, it pays to "do the hard thing" in the long run.

Originally posted October 29, 2011.  Updated July 6, 2012