There once was a teacher by the name of Mr. Cox, who would start each of his classes with the phrase “Work hard now, so that you can play later.” This phrase was repeated on a daily basis with the hopes that his students would eventually memorize it and come to understand its meaning. Mr. Cox believed that those students who took school seriously and made the effort to do well in each class would eventually lead successful and fulfilling lives. He also believed that the students who chose to goof off in school and submit halfhearted work, would ultimately lead lives of struggle and challenge. Of course, this is not always the case, but usually this tends to be what happens to a vast number of people.
The individuals who choose to put in the effort and endure the most discomfort early on, will generally be the ones living a life of ease and comfort. Conversely, the people who choose to take the easy path and feel comfortable early in life, will be the same ones to experience the most challenges and discomfort later in life. The “Work hard now, so that you can play later” mindset involves delayed gratification, which is not always desirable to those of us who seek instant results and rewards.
Whether it is in education, business, or personal relations, when we show up, do the hard work upfront, and strive to produce the best results, then we will reap the rewards of that effort. For example, businesses who try to cut costs on materials and produce a cheaply made acceptable product, generally find that there are issues with the product down the line. The customers of this product may show their dissatisfaction by avoiding purchasing from that business ever again or sharing negative reviews with other potential customers. This harms the business long-term. However, a business that takes the time to strategize, invest, and produce a high-quality product of great craftmanship, will find that their customers are happy with their product and recommend it to others. This benefits the business overall. Positive word of mouth advertising is much better than negative reviews for the long haul for any business.
People who seldom connect with others or offer superficial connections tend to discover down the line that they are lonely and disconnected within the world. Conversely, individuals who take the time to listen, bond, and truly connect with others often benefit from the network of people with whom they have formed deep relations. It is not wise to take shortcuts on our interactions with others. We must be fully present, totally engaged, and completely available for connection. Investing in our relations with others benefits us over the course of our life.
The “Work hard now, so that you can play later” mindset even pertains to our health and wellness. People who choose to take the easier route and not exercise nor eat healthy nutritious foods often discover that their health is failing later in life. Conversely, those who make the decision to exercise (even if it takes time, effort, and can be uncomfortable) generally tend to be healthful in their elder years. These individuals value their life, and thus are also willing to put forth the discipline required to stick to healthy diets and habits.
Almost every choice in life is between two challenging situations. The choice is ours to make. Do we put forth the discipline to exercise and push through that discomfort to maintain a strong body later in life or do we choose not to exercise in order to feel comfort short-term and discomfort of illness and poor health in our elder years? Do we choose to quit smoking to be healthy or continue to smoke and potentially die from lung cancer? Do we choose to work at having a healthy marriage or to recoup from a devastating divorce? The list of options goes on and on. Basically, it is ultimately up to us to choose which of the two challenging options we wish to experience. Door #1 will have its challenges upfront, while Door #2 will have its challenges later on. We must pick our challenges wisely, for life does not come without challenges.
Taking the easier path does not necessarily lead to an easy outcome, in fact it may result in difficulty and struggle. The easier option often robs us of valuable lessons that taking the more challenging road often teaches us. Choosing to take the more challenging path does not always lead to more difficulties, it may actually lead to a simpler result. Many times, the tough option blesses us with valuable lessons learned, and wisdom is priceless!