You may have seen this quote making the rounds on Instagram: "When it's real, it's effortless."
It's terrible advice.
The concepts of "easy having" and "easy living" have permeated our culture to the point that many of us believe that good things — real things — should show up magically and without much fuss. Then when they don't, we decide they're not worth pursuing and write them off as "not meant to be."
This is one of the most toxic lies we believe and it prevents people from experiencing sustainable joy.
Parents fight for the well-being of their children.
Couples fight for their marriages.
Societies fight for their values and ideals.
The oppressed fight for their freedom and voice.
Entrepreneurs fight for their companies.
Artists fight for their ideas.
Anything and everything worth having in life requires tenacity and grace. If you want something real — something that matters and stands the test of time — you will have to pursue it. You will have to fight for it.
Originally published June 2014
