You ever watch someone psych themselves out over something that should’ve been simple? Like, they’ll take what could’ve been a ten-second task, twist it into a twenty-minute mental wrestling match, and then still not do it?
Yeah, I used to do that too.
At least until I realized that most of the hard things in life aren’t actually hard. We just make them hard because we’re stuck in our own heads.
Think about how many times you’ve done this: you want a promotion. Simple, right? Just ask. But instead, you start spiraling. What if they say no? What if they think I’m arrogant? What if I bring up the wrong reasons and they start focusing on that instead of the fact that I actually deserve it?
So you walk into the conversation with a script. A terrible script, by the way. Something like, “Well, I’ve been here for a while, and I think Mary gets paid more, and I worked late that one time, and Dave got promoted, and I’ve covered for Jane …” By the time you finish your first sentence, the conversation’s already off the rails.
What happens next? You end up debating every irrelevant point you just brought up. Suddenly, it’s not about you deserving a raise—it’s about why Mary got hers or whether staying late really counts. You lost control of the whole thing because you overthought it from the start.
Why not just go in and say, “I want a raise, and here’s why”?
Direct. Simple. Done.
Here’s the thing: life rewards the lazy, but only if they’re smart about it. I’m not talking about the kind of lazy where you lie on the couch and hope for a promotion to fall out of the sky. I’m talking about the kind of lazy where you don’t waste energy on unnecessary steps or mental detours.
You know who succeeds? The people who find the shortest path.
Want a job? Don’t spend weeks tailoring the perfect resume and stalking job boards. Call someone at the company. Ask them to talk to you. Worst case, they’ll say no, and you’ll move on.
Want to get in shape? Don’t drop a thousand bucks on a smartwatch and home gym equipment. Skip a snack. Go for a walk. You can figure out the fancy stuff later.
Want to start a business? Don’t spend six months researching markets and building a 40-page business plan. Make something. See if anyone cares. Adjust from there.
It’s not rocket science. It’s just that we’ve trained ourselves to think everything has to be complicated.
You ever notice how much of this comes from insecurity? It’s not that we need the “extra” stuff. It’s that we’re afraid to find out what happens if we strip it all away and just … do the thing. Because then there’s nothing left to hide behind. No excuses if it doesn’t work.
But honestly? That’s kind of the point.
The people who move the fastest in life aren’t necessarily the smartest or the most talented. They’re the ones who are willing to fail quickly and keep going. They don’t waste time building a fortress of overthinking around every decision.
I mean, look at me. Most of the things I’ve accomplished in life weren’t because I was brilliant or hardworking. They happened because I was lazy. I didn’t have the energy for the scenic route, so I took the straight line. Not because I thought it was bold, but because I didn’t want to be exhausted by the time I got there.
You know what’s funny? People always assume directness is risky. Like it’s this wild, brave thing to say, “Hey, I want X.” But it’s actually the opposite. It’s the safest move you can make. At least then, you know where you stand.
And yeah, sometimes you’ll hear “no.” That’s fine. At least you didn’t waste a week agonizing over whether you should ask in the first place.
If you’re wondering how this mindset plays out in real life, there’s a video I made about it. I talk about why being “lazy” doesn’t mean giving up—it means cutting through the clutter.
So, stop making everything harder than it has to be. Get out of your head. Be lazy. And see how much lighter life feels.
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