Shortcuts are great.

They enable us to get the rewards without having to do much work.

I mean, who wants to work for something when we can “cheat” and get it quickly and/or for free?

Shortcuts benefit our lives without requiring us to suffer through the tedious process of learning and self development.

If I didn’t know better, I’d be looking for shortcuts in all areas of my life.

But here’s the thing

The problem with shortcuts is that their results are temporary and superficial.

And, more importantly, they distort our perception of what it takes to work towards sustainable, long term, and meaningful achievement.

You see, shortcuts are great for getting results in the trivial aspects of life.

When driving from point A to point B, for example, shortcuts are useful and have no downsides.

But when it comes to the important things in life, however, shortcuts tend to do more harm than good.

The important things in life do not have shortcuts

You can’t shortcut your way into a loving relationship – that requires constant effort, thoughtfulness, and care.

You can’t shortcut your way to being healthy – that requires regular exercise and sticking to a healthy diet.

You can’t shortcut your way to getting and staying wealthy – that requires ongoing thinking, learning, and patience.

The same goes with trading.

Shortcuts can give us fleeting and superficial outcomes. But if we want meaningful, substantial, and long-lasting results, we have to put in the work to keep practicing, going through the pain, and reflecting upon our actions.

As the saying goes, “Easy come, easy go”.