Why not make things easy?
“The interesting thing about business [author’s note: or life] – it’s not like the Olympics. You don’t get any extra points for the fact that something’s very hard to do. So you might as well just step over one-foot bars, instead of trying to jump over seven-foot bars.”
The amusing irony of being a coach is that my clients often present challenges that I also grapple with. So, when a client recently asked, "Life has always been a struggle for me - can you help me figure out how to make it easier?" I knew it was one of those moments.
I spent this month pondering what it would be like to try things, "The Easy Way."
If I'm honest, I've always harbored skepticism toward things that come too easily. I've prided myself on my ability to outwork others, to push myself harder and longer. I was a mediocre athlete in high school yet when it came time for the 100-lap swim race everyone knew that was gonna be me.
At work, I took maybe 2 sick days in a decade. I wore my attendance record like a badge of honor, even when it meant pushing myself to the brink of exhaustion. I recall an instance where I had to abruptly end a call with the CEO to rush to the trash can to vomit from a sneaky stomach bug. I went home afterward, but not without apologizing profusely and feeling guilty. And to top it off, I didn't even take a cab; I took the subway.
But did it really have to be that hard?
As I reflected on my client's question, I was reminded of the Fisherman Parable (below). You see, sometimes we're so caught up in the pursuit of success and productivity that we forget to enjoy life along the way. The parable teaches us that contentment itself = a fulfilling life, full stop, even if it seems contrary to our societal norms of “achievement.”
If you're anything like me, perhaps it's time to acknowledge that hard work isn't always synonymous with happiness. Maybe there are more creative and less strenuous paths to our destinations, ones that don't involve a trash can incident.
“If happiness is the result of something,
we’ll never reach it.”
Somewhat related, here’s The Fisherman's Parable
One day a fisherman was sitting by his boat while playing with his child on a beautiful beach; his fishing pole resting against the boat.
A wealthy businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his day. Intrigued and slightly horrified at the sight of the fisherman wasting the day, the businessman asked, "Why aren't you out fishing?"
The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, "Because I already caught enough fish for one day."
The businessman followed, "Why don't you catch some more?"
"What would I do with them?" replied the fisherman.
"You could earn extra money," said the businessman, "then with the extra money, you could buy a bigger boat, go into deeper waters, and catch more fish. Then you would make enough money to buy nylon nets. With the nets, you could catch even more fish and make more money. With that money you could own two boats, maybe three boats. Eventually you could have a whole fleet of boats and be rich like me."
"Then what would I do?" asked the fisherman.
"Then," said the businessman, "you could really enjoy life."
The fisherman looked at the businessman quizzically and asked, "What do you think I am doing now?"
“Everyone chases after happiness, not noticing that happiness is right at their heels.”
