Shortcuts in Life: Are they Worth the risk?

Life on earth could be tough, but not as tough as living on the moon, right? You want to consider taking due life process vs taking shortcuts in life, pursuing your goals and dreams. What do you think works out best for you in the long run?

The Guiding Principle Vs. Shortcuts in Life

Regardless of the toughness, life is all about sowing and reaping. And according to the good book in Genesis 8:22, this idea has never been emphasized enough. As long as the earth remains, seedtime and harvest time will never cease.

That being said, life calls for working hard. In fact, working hard is fast becoming a cliché, and many people would rather talk about working smart.

Does the World Mirror this?

In the world, we have trailblazers, pacesetters, accomplished technocrats, award-winning artists, poets, and writers. We can’t close the list without mentioning influential and powerful political leaders.

On the other end of the tunnel, we got educated fools, quack practitioners, serial dreamers, and blatant losers.

What would make such a vast difference between these two groups of people? Is it their education, family, career, or a matter of fate, chance, or luck?

Any successful person in whichever field will tell you how success in their lives took years of commitment and hard work.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Story

In his commencement speech to Harvard 8th graders back in 2017, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg narrated the journey of  Facebook. 

Unlike the movie, Social Network, which would want to make us believe that Facebook was born out of Facemash, the true story is a far cry.

Zuckerberg hilariously narrated how the advertising board at Harvard was to send him parking over the “Facemash scandal”.

But as fate would have it, he later dropped out at his own pleasure to pursue Facebook.

Given his enormous success, many would think his big idea of connecting people was an obvious instant hit. That is not the script.

The early days of Facebook had its own share of problems.

Zuckerberg and his companions just never believed they would be the guys who would connect the world. Maybe Facebook would have amounted to nothing if Mr Zuckerberg (Mark’s dad) had not taught him how to write code early.

To them, such a feat was so colossal that it was reserved for the already established tech. Giants.

The moral of the story is: that there are no shortcuts in life. Pay for it by acquiring new skills and never stopping to learn.

Be determined, never give up and do what it takes to get there.

Never heard of a lawyer who never understood and practised law

There is no blogger who doesn’t blog

Similarly, to be a writer, write. Award-winning artists and musicians sing their voices hoarse, recording music in the studio before anything serious comes out.

The Puzzle of Life

Paradoxically, life also presents us with people who have made it to greater heights by taking shortcuts.

Paradoxically, life also seems to present us with people who have made it to greater heights by taking shortcuts in life.

What are you expected to think when your neighbour always lands with a helicopter in their palatial home?

Often, such persons are glorified and castigated in equal measure. Always referred to as the well-oiled, the wheeler-dealer in town.

Their wealth and power that they can’t be accountable for may tempt you to follow their course.

On the contrary, you could end up paying a higher and more painful price to be like them.

For you to reap the best fruits, put in the effort of planting the right seeds and tending to them.

This is one principle that is so absolute. If you choose not to abide by it, you will have no one else but yourself to blame.

Shortcuts in Life: The Consequences

For instance, if you procrastinate today, you will reap the fruits of procrastination the day after.

On the same knot, choosing to manoeuvre your way to the top by cutting dirty deals won’t keep you there long enough.

To prove this point, you need to meet with Wilkins Fadhili.  He is a fraudster who became the talk of the town after his conmanship was unearthed.

Under normal circumstances, those who manoeuvre their way to the top seldom have the heart to serve or help other people. The reason behind such an attitude is simple.

They did not follow the natural due process in acquiring their assets or wealth. Thanks to their perception of life as a jungle, it doesn’t matter who you hurt or who you lose as long as you get what you want.

Before you prove me wrong or right, you need to look at billionaires who have committed to giving 90% of their wealth before their death. The likes of Buffett, Gates, and Zuckerberg, just to mention a few, are among them that have committed to the Giving Pledge.

Conversely, it’s no surprise that the list of those who have not committed to the Giving Pledge could contain billionaires with controversial sources of wealth or scanty tales of their rise to glory.

To them, whether it’s money, fame, power, or influence, its success first regrets later. They would rather kill to get to the top.

Unfortunately, many get haunted by lost spouses /family members and friends. They play hide and seek games with legal authorities.  Past ruthless action always leaves them begging for more.

Bottom Line

The world would be a much better place if people learned not to take shortcuts in life. There would be less pain and more joy. Innocent people wouldn’t con you. There would be less trouble and fewer cases to solve in courts. Let’s envision a future with no shortcuts and the desire to make it a reality.