Easy vs Hard

The interesting worlds of “easy” and “hard” from the eyes of an investor

Let’s say you have two choices

a. Easy path

b. Hard path

Which will you choose?

If you were like most people you would probably choose “easy”. But since you are reading this you probably aren’t like most people and you chose “hard” because you have trained yourself to love challenges in pursuit of great rewards.

I however always find myself struggling between the two.

Easy is awesome, but in this hyper-competitive world easy doesn’t cut it. Hard seems to be the only way if you really want something worthwhile.

Or so I had trained myself to think through grad-school, the first time I felt the pressure to push my potential being in the company of really smart and driven classmates.

Phrases like “No pain, no gain”, “Only the strong survive”, “Tough time never last, tough people do” took hold my psyche and gave birth to a semi-masochistic attraction to pain, where pain had a pavlovian response of joy in anticipation of the fruits!

I don’t think I am the only one with these pavlovian responses attracted to hard things.

Everywhere you look, you will find the same sentiment verbalized wether it be in

1. Religion : Rabbi Ben Hei Hei says “pain is the gain” in Pirkei Avot. Greek mythology tells us that “God helps those who help themselves” in Hercules & the Wagoner.
   There is even a variant in the Kuran.
   Religion loves this meme.
2. Philosophy : Nietzche’s wrote “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” and Camus’ resonated with Rabbi Ben Hei Hei urging us to “imagine sisyphus to to be happy”
3. Movies : Rocky series
4. Exercise & Sport : “Feel the burn” and “no pain, no gain”

The association between pain and reward becomes so strong for most of us that it begins to skew our value compass. We fail to see how something “easy” can be worthwhile let alone precious.

Yet it doesn’t take more than a stroll in nature to realize that sometimes the easiest things can be the most rewarding.

Unfortunately, only time tells us that often hard things are just that — hard and painful, with no light at the other end of the tunnel.

Here is a quick little cheat diagram I drew to constantly remind myself about the nature of outcomes

“The nature of outcomes” by Pramath Malik
Color coordination credit to Taylor Wrobel

The diagram should be pretty self-explanatory for most of you.

The morals however are

1. Don’t overdo “cheap-tricks” — They might provide you a sense of instant gratification and at times are great “pick-me-ups”. They are also intensely addictive!! So Moderation is the key here.
2. Differentiate between “fruits of labor & overpriced junk” — I know people say that people only regret things they did not do but trust me nothing spells regret more than chasing badly after something you did not want. Know yourself, identify your values and go after what is truly valuable to you.
   Hard paths makes great stories, but it’s better to have a happy ending than one ending in disillusionment.
3. Some hard stuff can’t be avoided — If cheap-tricks and easy-pickings is all you’ve done in your life fruits of labors are going to elude you.
   Except for a lucky few who are born rich and/or naturally charismatic most of you need a job. You need an education and you need intra & interpersonal skills.
   These are usually not easy.
   So, buckle down and remember all those quotes I mentioned earlier in the post.
   The best part is once you do a lot of this hard stuff, the number of “easy-pickings” available to you usually multiplies.
4. Don’t forget about the “easy-pickings” — Nothing is a better return on investment PERIOD
   I don’t care if it’s “too easy”, “not challenging enough”, “sounds like a copout” or “too boring”.
   You need some easy-pickings — the simple joys!
   They are the best investments in your portfolio and they will make your overall life simpler and happier. Sometimes it’s just better to take the easy way out.

I hope this simple tool helps you as much as it helps me.