My procrastination takes the form of research. I attempt to find the easiest solution. A comfortable path to follow before even taking the first step.

That’s probably why what I found in a video by Evan Carmichael hit me so hard.

Evan Carmichael is probably best known for his “Top 10 Rules for Success” video series on YouTube. The series curates ideas from successful people. The other day he posted Joe Rogan’s 10 rules for success. Rule number 4, on exploring difficult task is the one that got me thinking the most.

Explore Difficult Tasks

“Through difficult task you learn an incredible amount about yourself. Through the fire of competition you get to understand motivation. You get to understand the resistance that you have inside your mind to doing hard work. You get to understand the rewards of discipline.

You don’t truly appreciate relaxation unless you’ve worked hard and that is the yin and the yang of life. I’ve said this to the point of people getting sick of it but one of the worst decisions a man makes, I can only speak for men obviously, is to be comfortable.

I don’t think you should try to be comfortable. I think what you should try to do is to try to earn comfort. And if you can get a day off where you’ve worked hard and you accomplished goals that day off will be so sweet.

When I work and I sit in front of the TV I enjoy the shit out of it. I put my feet up, have a nice drink you know I enjoy my free time… It’s not for anybody else’s approval other than my own.

It’s the reinforcement of those goals. Understanding that you can achieve those goals it’s going to be difficult. You’re going to push through the difficulty. And then you’re going to understand what difficulty is and how much of it is just in your mind.”

Let’s stop looking for the easy road. Doing difficult things builds momentum, and that momentum can carry us to greater heights.

Will the difficult path be your new default?