Easy is Hard and Hard is the Easy Hard?

A note on the pursuit of hard things.

Building a business and becoming accomplished might seem glamorous from the outside, though the outcome is undoubtedly awe-inspiring by itself. What is truly commendable and is often overlooked is the boldness and audacity that a founder fosters within themselves to go against conventional ways of doing things and pave a new path into an uncharted realm. I kid you not — it’s full of blood, sweat (also private tears and mental anguish). When you see someone extraordinarily successful, you see riches and luxury, but when you look deep into their soul through their sparkling eyes, you see the remnants of the suffering they have endured.

However, there are people who relish the process of suffering. I was never very cognizant of this until a mentor (a very seasoned and exited entrepreneur) once pointed out, “You are one of those guys whose soul derives pleasure from affliction.” My immediate response was bewilderment, “What? What are you saying? Who savors suffering? What’s wrong with you?” (or at least that’s what I thought). But as I continued reflecting deeper, it turned out that I do indeed revel in anguish. It was apparent to me that I was continuously putting myself in positions to endure agony incessantly, all in the yearning for excellence.

The overarching reality remains: it is ideal to pursue that which you excel at and propel yourself to the extremes (to play at a god-level in what you do and be the best in the world). But what nearly seems foolhardy is soaring too close to the sun before your wings are properly prepared (well, not everyone’s wings are ready the very first time they attempt such a stunt), and nearly all of us will ultimately descend and fall down. But we are remembered not by how we fall, but by how we rise again, steadfast and tall, having soared to lofty heights.

I am partial to conceptualizing it this way: it is generally advisable to immerse oneself deeply in a singular pursuit and designate it as one’s life’s purpose. But the preeminent performers (I call them performers because life itself is a performance, an act of excellence or at the very least the pursuit of greatness intertwined with laughter, love, and duty) I have observed possess a multi-dimensional worldview (perspective). This versatility does not stem from having depth alone; this is the magic of exploring the wild and wide across the entire spectrum. (You know, specialization is for insects.) Envision two spectrums of light; you aspire to be at the edge of the light waves, spanning from one end to the other, an absolute master. A king cannot merely be a formidable fighter; he must also be an eloquent orator, a proficient administrator, a person of the people, with laser-sharp intellect and benevolence — in short, a formidable power to be reckoned with. Generalists triumph in a world full of specialists (no offense to those specialists, the world needs you too, but you’re likely not reading this).

Easy Hard and Hard Hard Discourse

The laws of physics dictate that energy flows towards the path of least resistance, and there is no subverting the laws of physics. This applies to humans universally; we all want to do easy things. But when a mere mortal infuses himself with determination, his soul is elevated from the plains of these lands, and he acquires powers from dimensions previously inaccessible to him and generally the rest of the world.

All successful individuals who did not merely get lucky at 19 with an exalted Saturn making life a cakewalk possess character forged by the tribulations they endured. Pain sculpts character; a dime-a-dozen carbon transmutes into a mighty, sparkling gemstone because of the pain, and it’s rare.

Most would be inclined towards establishing easy companies that solve important problems and can be accomplished with ease (I don’t know why my brain thinks of SaaS whenever I think “easy,” hehe) or an app. But the real prospect lies in undertaking endeavors others wouldn’t dare broach due to their arduous nature and seeming impossibility to conquer — that, my friend, is an edge.

What is rare possesses value; it is laborious, hard, but nearly everything is hard. Have you tried selling enterprise software? It’s difficult too. There is no “not hard.” Entropy is easy; conservation of momentum is how things persist, but if one must advance, action is hard and movement is effort-induced.

Why Pursue Hard Things?

Identify a hard problem and charge at it with all your might. It will be arduous and melancholic, but it will be worth it in the end. Have faith, believe in your guiding north star, and take the plunge — you’ll never regret it. Best case, you’ll change the world and impact our species and economies in remarkable ways. Worst case, even if you fall short of total success, you’ll still emerge as a billionaire. How bad of a deal is that? — but it’s only if you do the hard things that no one else dares to!

“In a world full of suckers (conformists), be a maverick and do hard things 10 years in advance (if it’s gonna take a decade or two more, it’s still ok).”

-G Chola