95. Stop looking for shortcuts

I have a habit of constantly seeking for some ‘hack’s in life because I like to see immediate results in what I do. I mean, who doesn’t? So I used to be one of those guys who fall for the promise of shortcuts. Things like 5 things you need to do to get X, learn a language in X days, make $XM in a few years. They were alluring. Things that usually take years to accomplish now takes only months and a few steps.

But more often than not, those tricks hardly ever work. They’re either some marketing gimmicks to get clicks or overcomplicated version of the things that you already know.

Most things are often simple and straightforward. But we like to seek for the complicated solution. We refuse to believe that we have to take the difficult path. We want to believe that there’s an easier way to get to the finish line.

But I’ve come to accept that some things, especially the good things, really just take time. If you were to break everything down to its core, all pursuit boils down to a simple formula: persistence + patience. To be a better writer, one simply needs to write more. To get a good body, maintain a good diet and workout. To be good at language, practice every single day. As long as we are headed in the right direction, and continue showing up, day in and out, we will eventually get there.

So stop looking for shortcuts. Focus on conquering the daily grind.