There has never yet been a man in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering. – Theodore Roosevelt
Never in history has the easy life led to a great life. Not in one case has something great come without tribulation, struggle, or failure. Instead of fearing struggle, strain, and tribulation, you should embrace it; nay, seek it at every opportunity, and incorporate it into your life daily. It’s in struggle that you experience growth. It’s in conquering obstacles that you experience life.
A Case Against the Easy Life
Ease isn’t living, it’s dying. It’s forgoing life and awaiting death. Ease brings a halt to your growth and evolution as a human being.
Every year I do an exercise where I write out my perfect day. The other day I looked back at what my ‘perfect day’ was 5 years ago. It was almost the exact opposite of what my vision of success is today.
Back then I wanted ease. I wanted no alarm clock, little work, and a life of luxury. What I’ve come to understand is that in creating the ability to have that life of luxury, I’ll have to go through my fair share of failures and struggles.
Those failures and struggles are where I’ll develop into a man, a success, and a better human being. Why, then, would I want to forgo that growth? Why, even if I’m able, would I reach my idea of success, and then simply stop my evolution by lulling in to a life of ease?
Today, I know I wouldn’t. Just because success is attained doesn’t mean our growth as people, entrepreneurs, or leaders, comes to a halt. Look at Teddy Roosevelt. He never stopped achieving, accomplishing, and growing as an individual until the day he died. The same with Steve Jobs, Napoleon Bonaparte, Andrew Carnegie, and any other person in history who accomplished anything of great value.
Ease is Not Only Useless, It’s Evil
There’s a commonly held world view that your life is your own and you have the right to do what you want with it. I disagree with one aspect of this argument, and that is with regards to laziness.
Just like ease has created nothing of great value in the way of great people on this planet, the fundamental understand that your time on this earth is limited and dwindling has led to great accomplishment, and names worth remembering.
It’s a universal truth that the day you’re born is the day you start dying. Those who accomplish greatness understand this, and they don’t let a day go to waste.
It’s also a universal truth – especially in this free, democratic, capitalistic society – that many have died so you and I can live the freedom you so casually take for granted. They’ve sacrificed their lives in battle. They’ve laid down their lives in protest. They’ve given their lives to innovation and helping others.
Those who came before you, and died before you, have done so in vain if you give your life to laziness, and that’s when laziness is no longer a right, but an evil.
Ease’s ugly cousin is laziness. To be a lazy person is a slap in the face of anyone who’s sacrificed anything to give you the life you currently enjoy – to give you the option of being lazy. Be it your mother, father, grandparents, or that soldier who died in the Second World War whom you’ll never meet, but owe so much.
How to Truly Live: Embrace the Struggle
The goal for all of us here at Addicted2Success, is to create a successful life. I’m sure we can all agree that a successful life, in part, is one truly lived. That is, a life filled with accomplishment, adventure, highs and lows, struggle, defeat, and victory. A life is filled with action, not ease.
Look back to the man who gave us that famous quote at the beginning of this article, Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt was a man who embraced the strenuous life. He saw the value in hardship, and the evil of a life of ease. As such, he accomplished more in his 60 years than dozens have in their 100.
To create a life of accomplishment, and one of success, YOU have to embrace hard work. Hard work creates grit. It gives us a sense of pride, purpose, and accomplishment; without which, we can never truly feel as though we’re giving our best to this dying flame we call life, or our true value to the rest of those we’re connected to on this planet.
Instead of looking forward to a future of ease, embrace your present hardships, and look to add more strain to your life. This is how you grow. This is how you evolve. This is how you live.
I agree & disagree. Only the individual knows when they deserve a break and when they should work harder, anyone outside looking in doesn’t know what they have been through, only they do!
This is awesome! I mean the example of Steve Jobs for this topic and the pointers are amazing for success. I really like it. Much motivated!
Someone obviously never read The Hobbit.
It would seem that work life balance is at olds with this philosophy? If you want to be great, go for it, just don’t be surprised when your wife/husband/children etc. tire of your single-minded selfishness. Keep some perspective.
I was made redundant at the age of 56, now 58 & am finding it impossible to find work, apart from baby sitting or telemarketing. I come from the ‘Corporate Development world’ in Melbourne, Australia. I’m finding my age is my main problem! I have taken on board all msg’s, would love feedback! Here, once we turn about 45 yrs, doesn’t matter about ‘the piece of paper, ie. diplomas etc, in my case, the looks etc are heading south! Loved reading all your participants! Would love some advice! Apologies if sp errors… Have no reading glasses, however I could not resist. You all so positive & amazing people.
I have friends who were inheriting a lot. Their parents still made them work and earn respect, they are much better people for it.
The butterfly struggles to make its way out of its chrysalis and it is during this struggle that the fluid which enables the butterfly to fly is pushed from its body into its wings. Learn to embrace and grow from your struggles, your hardships, and even the times when it seems like you failed. Your struggles are preparing you and strengthening you for your future successes. The greater the struggle now, the higher you will soar later. Dream big and get ready to fly high!
My Pure and simple philosophies!
1. Discipline yields excellence
2. Everything we do is in preparation for something else.
3. Perseverance is the secret to success.
4. Eliminate shame, blame and fear from your life
I definitely going to embrace my present hardships. By doing so will give me a positive mind to think, because only a positive state of mind can lead one to achieve great success. I am glad I found you guys!
@kyle try do ur thing, he might see wht u r doing nd it wil soon cm 2 his mind 2 start changing.
actually,the whole point of living is to enjoy it.
but not on other people’s money, not on other peep people’s time.
so yeah, laze around all you want, but be responsible for your own misery.
Amazing article. Keep doing your thing Joel! I want this website to be alive and running 20 years from now when I have children so they can benefit from all this wealth of knowledge as well
i think its one thing to embrace strain and quite another to seek it out. i understand the former but dont see a reason for the latter. yes, ambition is good but (in my view) life is also meant to be enjoyed.
great post nonetheless : )
@Kola I think what Chad meant by “seek the strain”, is similar to what a fitness trainer means by “you have to find the burn”. As in, not only do you have to dig into your current situation and fully commit to growing even through the pain. You also should find challenges when life isn’t challenging you. Some people have been lifting the same weight for awhile and no longer feel challenged. So for them “finding the burn” means adding more weight to their bar, or strategically finding opportunities that will challenge them to learn and grow. Another example is how someone works out to lose weight, but will continue that habit after the weight is gone because they’ve established a lifestyle that will maintain a fit body. Let’s keep our minds fit as well. #NoStrainNoGain #RaiseTheBar 🙂
wow. great article..@kyle i think what you should do is sit with him and talk to him about how things work.. nowadays guys in their early 20’s dont really care much about whats happening around them but then a time comes when they do, but its to late by then… i used to be like that, but i was fortunate to have my older brother with me to guide me… 🙂
Great article great work and great reminder that life is a hardship’s process .Keep on inspiring US addicted2success So that we can inspire ourself and others around us
What a brilliant, well written article that I truly appreciate! Thank you for encouraging us to continue to persevere in the face of challenges.
That is incredible and truly inspiring Joan.
With that being said, maybe you guys can help me out a little. I’m living with a roommate that I have tried to inspire through my own actions and sending inspirational videos but to no avail. Constantly late to work meetings? That’s him. Sleeping till 2pm? That’s him. Complaining when things don’t go his way? That’s him. Honestly, it’s a daily internal battle that I have in how to get the message across to him and ignite change because he has so so much potential.
What’s your thoughts? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Hey Kyle, I’ve had a similar situation in the past. Sometimes you can’t get through to them. You just have to focus on your own stuff and hope they see how you’re evolving and they’re not. I ended up being pretty blunt with the guy simply because I was tired of his complaining. Be lazy, do your thing, but complaining is where I draw the line. It’s useless. Address the complaining, be blunt, but be supportive, and then get on your hustle and do your thing.
Don’t let his inactivity cloud your day in any way.
What Chad said is very true. I agree. You can’t change somebody without their consent, meaning they have to want to change as well.
Just do your thing and don’t let his bad energy dwindle your success
If you can’t change the people AROUND you, change the PEOPLE around you.
I grew up watching my father being lazy – doing only a half days work for full pay. I decided really early on that I would work hard for everything I wanted in life and have done and it feels good.
So watching a person be lazy when I was growing up made me determined to work hard and ultimately have a much better life than he had. It has made me appreciate what I have worked hard for. Thanks for reminding me!
That is awesome Joan, Thank you for sharing that with us. Most would decide to be lazy like their parent, but in your case you saw what potential is really in you and that you don’t have to follow in his footsteps. Good on you Joan!
That’s incredible Joan. Like Joel said, most would have followed in their father’s footsteps. It’s great to see you break that trend. Now you’ll serve as inspiration to others.
There is surely no shortcut for success. Success comes after lots of struggles and hard-work. Thumbs up to those who are willing to put in efforts
Great post. Think there is a saying that “All that is great is hard.”
Terrific reminder of Theodore Roosevelt’s wise counsel and ‘lived words.’ Ease is not an option. The world makes a place for those who serve others effectively.