Which path should I take?
I have asked myself this question many times. I made countless analysis, asked lots of people for advice but it’s still difficult because there’s so much information floating around in my head that choosing the right path becomes overwhelming.
But there is one lesson I have realized only recently with a profound sense of truth about how to choose the right path in life:
Take the hard one.
The hard path is the one full of chaos which is where we have to make sacrifices, confront our fears often finding ourselves in a fog of uncertainty.
Sure there are variations of easy path and hard ones but when we boil it down to the fundamental truth, we often know the right path to take but we often struggle with making a decision or a choice because the path we need to take is often a grueling one fraught with obstacles, unknowns and hard work. Back breaking work. Gut wrenching courage.
Whether we’re trying to repair a fragile relationship with a loved one or move across the country or make a major career shift or start a new business, choosing the hard path is not our first choice.
Why should we purposely pursue the hard path?
Because the hard path is often the one that we need to be on but don’t choose it because of the fear of failure.
We are afraid that we won’t make it. We are afraid of the “not have” problem…
We will not have enough money
Not enough knowledge
Not enough courage
Not enough strength
Not enough time
Not enough energy
Not enough experience
Not good enough
Not enough this or that
The Hard Path is Worth It
In my own life, I have walked on easy paths and hard ones. Being born poor in a village in India growing up with nothing was hard. But somehow I ended up living in America serving ice cream cones running a Dairy Queen, living in New York City working in a Fortune 50 company getting to do some awesome things, writing books that have been published in many languages when I could barely speak English when I came to this wonderful country. It has always been the hard paths coupled with a little bit of luck that have served me the best because I learned, grew and developed into the person I am today.
What I realized is that we have to do what’s hard in life because that is often what is needed.
We have to choose the hard path because that is what will mold us into the person we are meant to become.
We must choose the hard path because that is what will dramatically change the quality of our life.
We need to choose the hard path because that will alter the course of our future.
We must choose the hard path to fully appreciate and be grateful for what we have.
The hard path is where we get the most growth, meet the best people, learn things we never could imagine, feel every emotion and become a better person.
Click to Tweet: The right path is never the easy one. It is the one that is necessary.
Hard versus Easy
To have true transformation of ourselves, we must do what is hard. But it’s not that easy. It requires us to sacrifice our time, money, effort and energy.
No one ever says, “Easy work pays off” because it never does. Does it?
Hard is where we experience failure, pain, suffering, rejection and the nausea of uncertainty. Hard teaches us about others…who our friends really are. Hard teaches us about ourselves and what we’re willing to do in order to live a full life. Hard is how we learn that the best part of ourselves is often hidden deep inside ready to come out and be put to greater purpose.
Hard is the way forward.
Everything worth doing is hard.
Everything worth doing requires effort.
Everything worth becoming is hard.
I recognize that choosing the right path these days can be difficult because they all look hard. But the good news is that…
You can handle the hard path.
What do we really need to handle problems and obstacles on a hard path in life?
Being open and flexible with our plans
Ability to learn new things
Adapt to a changing environment
Bringing out the best in people
Working long and hard
Being humble and thoughtful
Getting up after being knocked down
Having a high sense of self-worth
Understanding that anything can be achieved through work, effort and committment
There is no perfect path nor ever an easy one. Over time the easy paths become hard. And the hard paths become easier.
Looking for the right path to choose in life: stop overthinking it and choose the hard one because that’s the only one in front of you.
Start walking.
How to choose the right path in life | By Bob Miglani | November 2015
Actually I believe that taking the “easy” way often eventually becomes the hard one. Illusory security, all that. Easy and safe all the time is not living. One day, if you’re still around the pain of living “easy” will become greater than your fear of the unknown, and you will “go hard” so to speak. We are all meant to grow in many ways, so I think resistance to growth or change will eventually have you connecting the dots somewhat to get the hell out there! I wouldn’t use the word “hard” though or even easy. Maybe life-affirming, fulfilling (as you say, full), and for easy, unfulfilling, an “unlived” life. So hey, maybe it’s just one path. Thanks! ~Kerri
Kerri,
Brialliantly stated. I love your statement that an easy path is often an illusion. What I am attempting to do in this post is to demonstrate that when we need to make a decision today, it is often best to choose a path that is hard because we get to enjoy the benefits a full life.
I think you are right, ultimately all paths are hard…
Appreciate your insights. Thank you.
Bob
Hi. I am student still learning the English language. I have to choose three paths. one is the easy one go live with my father in America and study there and be a doctor like what my father wants. The second one is medium but is hard as a son It is to torture my Mother in three years . Make her work pay for my studies. Worry about her other children who live with grandma in a village one of them is sick ,. She can’t go there because of me. Or the hard one give up my studies or going to dad and live with mom and my siblings in a village where we don’t have money or work no electricity and the weather there is 45c 30c. What do I do. Could you give me advise.
Only you can choose your path. I do know that there is no such thing as an easy path no matter how it appears to be right now.
I wish you the best in your life.
Bob
Dear Student, look at the paths from the greater perspective. What you think as easy path ( becoming a doctor living with dad abroad) may open opportunities for you to get highly skilled, serving society and helping your family ( mom dad siblings ) lead a better life. Let your life purpose determine your path…
As Shakespeare said,
Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.
The course of true love never did run smooth.
Such is also the path of great goals in life.
love this quote. thanks!
Some things are really worth fighting for. Thanks for this!
Kerri,
I can not thank you more for these priceless words.
I’m glad to have taken my time to read this, really needed it at this point. Some youth will come here to read this some day in the year 2050 and still feel inspired for sure. Thanks
Hi, Mr Miglani, I am a Chinese living in Canada. I read your article How to Choose the Right Path on your website. I really like it so I want to share it with my fellow Chinese people. Could you please give me the permission to translate the article into Chinese and share it on my Wechat blog? I will for sure acknowledge you as the original writer and post the link of the original article in the translation.
I am looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you very much.
Hi – Yes, please go ahead and translate and use as you wish. Best wishes! -Bob