All good things come with a certain amount of hassle.
If you’re like me, you’re constantly looking for ways to eliminate inefficiencies, drags on the system, and things that create hassle in your life and work. But I was listening to Morgan Housel’s podcast recently when he pointed out that there’s a minimum degree of hassle involved in doing anything good and meaningful.
He’s right. There will always be resistance, setbacks, challenges, even outright opposition to the desire to do something new, something big, or something more efficiently and effectively. Our true challenge is to embrace, even find joy in, the reality that some degree of hassle will always be part of our work.
I often think of this as the hassle we’re willing to endure. When you set a goal, you must also be clear on the challenges that are likely to go along with achieving it. Are you willing to endure those challenges? What if it takes twice as long and is half as rewarding? Would you still endure them? If not, the goal may be misaligned or just not for you.
But if you’re willing to endure that hassle, you can achieve some pretty incredible things.
Identify the minimum level of hassle, determine your willingness to persist in its face, and act from there.
Want these blog posts delivered straight to your inbox each week? Click here to subscribe.
Follow us on social media at the links below.
