I recently listened to a podcast with Scott Adams, a cartoonist and author of business and commentary.

What’s fascinating is that it often seems to be the people you least expect who give you words of wisdom that can change your life.

In this particular episode, Scott was talking about the idea of ‘laziness.’ And that despite everyone looking for the secret to overcome it, he argued there’s really only one way to be productive:

To shift your mindset from the pleasure you’ll feel now to the gratification you’ll feel later.

He used quite a few different examples, but one that stood out was something we’ve probably all experienced.

Have you ever been laying in bed or on the couch and decided you were hungry or thirsty? Or maybe you even had to go the bathroom. But you were so comfortable and relaxed that the pleasure of staying put outweighed the joy of eating, drinking, or getting up?

And so, you wait—until the point where you can no longer be comfortable because you just have to get up now and do what you needed to do?

That need, that desire to experience the outcome and take action, is the same mentality you need to bring with you whenever you’re facing something hard. Laziness takes over everyone, but only some people realize that by focusing on the outcome, you can forget about the present.

And that’s what Scott sums it up with. He said whenever he writes a book, he simply ‘forgets’ how hard the process is and constantly reminds himself how good it’ll feel whenever the book is finished. You’re simply delaying your gratification to something that’ll feel even better than the comfort you’ll feel now.

Musonius Rufus, and early Stoic said it well…

In this case, doing something ‘shameful’ would be relaxing, being lazy, not taking action when you have a goal waiting to be achieved. It comes down to a choice:

Will you let the comfort of now rob you of the pride of tomorrow? Or will you choose the harder path, the one that pays you back with results that last?

Until next time,
Isaiah Taylor

Dive Deeper

What I’m Currently Reading - I’m now reading Mastery by Robert Greene. A collection of stories from those who became masters in their craft and how to embody the same skills to become one in your own.

Quote Of The Week - “We must all suffer one of two things: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.” — Jim Rohn