If you are willing to do only what is easy, life will be hard. If you are willing to do what’s hard, life will be easy. Several people have claimed varying quotes that deliver this same message. This version is from T. Harv Eker. My version may be if you want life to be easy into the future, do the hard things now or even yesterday if you have access to a Delorean. The earlier you invest in your education, the greater benefit you will enjoy throughout your life.
The earlier in your life you master, or at least become proficient in a productive skill, the greater benefit you will experience as a result as time goes on. Getting into the property market at an early age generally pays greater dividends in the long run. Similarly learning a musical instrument in your childhood allows you to continue to improve and enjoy the skill for your whole life.
Whilst you cannot be good at everything, it is possible to know a little bit about a lot of things. Even those activities that you do not studying in depth frequently have returns in the order of only needing to know, or have mastered, 20% of a skill which can deliver an 80% return that someone who focuses on achieving the greatest result can obtain.
Life is not an Olympic sport.
The difference between first, second and third place in many speed events is frequently in the order of only thousandths of a second. Whilst Olympians always perform at their peak, those in society do not. Generally, to succeed and stand head and shoulders above the masses, extraordinarily little extra effort is required, …. but it does require an effort. You must do “the hard things” at some stage to achieve anything worthwhile.
You do have to invest time and concentration that those who have unconsciously decided to have a hard life are not prepared to invest. Do the hard things early in your life or at least as early as you possibly can so that you can enjoy the benefits for a longer period. Twenty-five years ago, I had a much younger man educate himself, design and build the home we now live in. I have joked many times that it is a young man’s duty to build a home for an old man. I was the young man who designed and built the home that my family grew up in that now my older self and wife still occupy.
The benefits of having a thermally stable home and the energy savings that the design and placement of thermally appropriate building materials permits is enjoyed daily. Statistically we save about 40% of the energy of what I call “the house next door” whether we get out of bed or not simply because of the design of our home.
If you are not in the market as a purchaser, at least know enough to rent a home that will deliver the same advantages that we enjoy. Educate yourself, … it is the best investment you will ever make. My background is in education and in the decades that I have been in a number of different systems, including working with adults at university and TAFE, I have continually noticed that those who do the hard things have the easiest and most successful lives. Samuel Goldwyn is accredited with coining the phrase ” the harder I work, the luckier I get”.
Recently I received a request from the manager of a radio station who asked if I could put a band together for an event for the coming Saturday. It was mid-morning Wednesday and I was involved with a two day seminar so I rang a mate of mine who plays the drums and asked if he could make some calls for me as time was short. The final line-up included a drummer, bass, two guitars, piano, sax, trumpet and harmonica. Several people commented how good the band was with only four days to organise and rehearse. In fact, I met three players for the first time on stage that day and two of those only knew one other member. Everyone on stage had done all the practice they needed over the last thirty to forty years.
I was a registered teacher for 37 years and my first class was grade four primary school with 36 students. Those were the good old days. Back then grade four was when the 12 times table was introduced and expected to have been known by the end of the year. I told my kids ” put the time into learning your tables now. You will use them for the rest of your life”.
If you deal with those difficult but essential issues as they arise, dramas, that are not even yet visible on the horizon, my never eventuate.
If you do the hard things when you are young you will have an easy life.
In 1996 I became even more interested in energy options an
d energy efficiency after my wife and I purchased 156 acres surrounded by what was then State Forest. In 1999 I undertook tertiary studies and drove over an hour once a week to midweek lectures including doing whatever readings that were required and completing whatever homework tasks were set. It wasn’t that easy and I’m sure I joked that no one in their right mind would have done what I was doing at the time. There were others in the course and not knowing their circumstances, I’m sure it wasn’t easy for many of them either. Now, a quarter of a century later, we live in a thermally comfortable and stable home that does not get an electricity bill, which statistically saves us about $2,000 a year. We also export over $4,000 a year back into the grid. Whilst the studies that I undertook decades ago, in every genre, have served me well, my interest and understanding of home energy efficiency will put me and my family about $96,000 better off than what I call the house next door over the 16 year period between 2012 and 2028. That is, statically saving $2,000 a year for those sixteen years, because we don’t get a bill, which equates to $32,000 and exporting $4,000 a year for those sixteen years which equates to $64, 000. It will probably be closer to the $100 000 mark as suggested by the real data that has accumulated since we started.
You do not have to be a fanatic to benefit, however, to get the benefits that my family enjoys you will need to know what we know and do what we do. Opportunities and family’s circumstances may change on a daily basis, so no two households will ever be identical, Even if you only know 20% of the basics in home energy efficiency, I do suspect that the rewards will be well worth while. It does take a decision and at least a little effort to get started on any adventure, however education is a lot easier now that the internet is readily available for most people.
We enjoy those financial benefits but equally important is that our home is warm & cozy in the winter and cool and comfortable in the summer.
Consider putting the time and effort into knowing a little bit more about home energy efficiency. Yes, … some of what will be required may be a challenge for some and perhaps difficult to navigate for others but it is worth the effort to persevere at least a little because quitters never win, and winners never quit.
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Moreton Bay residents can access weekly tips from John on Community Radio 101.5 FM Friday Mornings at 10:10am
John Lynn