Friday, June 4, 1999

Easy answers

We’re mostly attracted to easy answers because they’re easy, not because they’re particularly effective. Given the choice between an easy answer which quickly and painlessly accomplishes the barest minimum, and a difficult plan which fully addresses the problem, the quick and easy alternative is too often the one which wins out.

As one quick and easy solution leads to the need for another, and another on top of that, our actions become more and more driven by expediency while they grow less and less effective. Such a trend soon leads to paralysis and frustration. It gradually ushers us into a world in which we’re continually busy, but never get anything done. Does that sound familiar? All those quick and easy solutions, and then all the solutions to the solutions, demand a lot of activity but produce very little in the way of results.

At some point, the frustration and inadequacy become unbearable, and we’re forced into finally adopting the difficult, but effective course, which by that time has been made all the more difficult by the delay.

The next time you’re tempted to take the easy way out, take a good look at where it will ultimately lead you. Don’t make things needlessly difficult in a desire to initially make them easy.

— Ralph Marston

Make it through       Reach

Copyright ©1999 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.