first heard this concept on the Tim Ferriss podcast, where Jerzy Gregorek talked about how he had applied it in his life with great success.
This idea really resonates with me.
Partially because it’s so simple. But also because it’s true.
If we make the easy choices in life, over and over again, and keep doing that for long enough…it results in a hard, painful life.
What do I mean? For example, if you make the easy choice to eat fast food all the time, and not cook healthy food. If you make the easy choice to flop down on the couch every night, and never move your body, or exercise…it ultimately leads to a hard, painful life.
Because every behavior or activity you choose, or don’t choose…has a CONSEQUENCE.
It’s not always readily apparent in that exact moment, sometimes not for months or even YEARS later, but there is always a RESULT of what you do.
Always eating processed food. Never moving or exercising. Not working hard. Being disrespectful to others. Not teaching our kids consequences and right and wrong. Not looking after our health.
All of these things add up in the end, and after ignoring it for so long, oftentimes it’s too late.
What’s the other option?
HARD choices, leading to an EASY life.
I love the contradiction.
By making some hard choices now, some uncomfortable choices now, our life long-term will be much easier, and dare I say, better.
Choosing to go grocery shopping and eating good healthy food now, is not always easy. It is the hard choice.
Choosing to take the stairs sometimes, and to go for that walk even though it’s cold out, or to do some exercise even when you don’t feel like it, or don’t want to…is the hard choice.
Choosing to come to the chiropractor, even when it’s cold outside, or you’re busy, to look after your spine and nervous system, so that you feel good and can do the things you want long-term, is the hard choice.
Choosing to have those difficult conversations with people you love, who are going off track, or choosing to love your kids by teaching them, or disciplining them, even when you’re tired, is the hard choice.
But by doing all these hard choices, you GET to live an easier life.
By choosing the hard choice IN THAT MOMENT, you get to live a much easier, better life, for years and years to come.
Does that mean you have to be perfect all the time? That you can never make the easier choice? Of course not. None of us are robots, none of us are perfect. Give yourself some grace.
Over the holidays, I’m sure many of us eat more than we know we should. Eat more cookies and sweets than we should. Got less exercise than we should.
It’s ok.
However, if you continue in that pattern for years on end, and continue to make the EASY CHOICE over and over, for years to come, yes, there will be consequences.
So get back to the HARD choice. It may not be the most popular choice in our culture, but as the years go by, and you sadly see friends and family who only ever the made the easy choices, and how their lives are turning out, you’ll be thankful you made a different, harder, choice.
To live an easier, better life, long term.
Wishing you many hard choices, and an easy, fun, healthy life for years to come! Dr. Byron Mackay
