Playing Life on Hard Mode

We often make our lives harder than they need to be.
We set ridiculously high standards and focus on what we should do instead of what we want to do.
We don't trust ourselves enough to believe we'll choose the best path.
Instead, we rely on experts' opinions and follow their advice, ignoring what we truly want.
We silence our inner voice of wisdom because we've been told there's a better way to do things.
We don't stop to ask ourselves if there's an easier way.

Life is a marathon, not a sprint. You've probably heard this plenty of times. If you're running a marathon, why choose the hardest path as a beginner? Choosing a route with the steepest hills will only make you quit the race.

What does playing in easy and hard mode look like?:

• Work on hard mode is doing a job you don't enjoy. Work on easy mode is finding a career you enjoy.
• Business on hard mode is picking what you think is the most profitable niche. Business on easy mode is choosing a niche that aligns with your passions (first) and has enough demand (second).
• Building a product on hard mode is creating based on what you think users need and then figuring out how to sell it. Building a product on easy mode is developing a product based on actual user needs and then making them an offer.
• Reading on hard mode is forcing yourself through your list of must-reads and finishing every book. Reading on easy mode is reading what catches your attention and dropping books that don't serve you.
• Overcoming challenges on hard mode is trying to do everything by yourself and not asking for help. Overcoming challenges on easy mode is being humble enough to ask for help when you're stuck.
• Getting fit on hard mode is following what fit bros tell you to do, even if it drains your willpower. Getting fit on easy mode is finding an activity you enjoy and doing it with friends so you look forward to working out.
• Nutrition on hard mode is only eating "healthy" food and excluding anything "unhealthy" because it's not optimal. Nutrition on easy mode is eating healthy food 80% of the time and enjoying the freedom to indulge the other 20%.
• Playing life on hard mode is implementing tactics and strategies recommended by others, even if they're not suited for your particular situation. Playing life on easy mode is considering various perspectives and tinkering to find your own heuristics.

This doesn't mean you should look for quick fixes. It's good to challenge yourself, but don't take on too many at once. Be reasonable. Even in easy mode, fate will ensure you face some nice challenges.