“If It Was Easy, Anyone Could Do It.”

“If it was easy, anyone could do it.”

These were the words a former boss named Bruce told me every time he gave me a difficult assignment.

And he really liked to hand out difficult assignments. He did it all the time. He would present me with a challenging task, and I would say: “Wow, that’s going to be tough.”

His response was invariably:

“If it was easy anyone could do it.”

It served as a great motivator. Bruce was telling me: Yes, this task is difficult, but no, I’m not asking just anyone to do it. I’m asking you to do it and you’re up to the challenge. This is an opportunity to dig deep and see what you got inside of you to accomplish this difficult challenge.

And it worked. It motivated me to embrace the difficult task and show Bruce that I was up to the challenge. It put me in an entirely different mindset. Instead of seeing it as an obstacle, I saw it as an opportunity to show Bruce that his faith in me was well-placed. So, I stopped complaining and got to work.

Reflecting back on my old boss, I often wonder if Bruce was a closet Stoic.

Why? Because the Stoics frequently wrote about challenges and how we should embrace them and see them for what they truly are…

Opportunities.

All three of the well-known Stoics, Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus; they all gave us powerful advice on how we should face our biggest challenges in life.

Marcus Aurelius — Your Obstacles are Opportunities

“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

Most people see challenges as something to be avoided. As soon as things get tough, they back down. They search for the path of least resistance and do what they “feel” like doing instead of doing the tough things that produce massive results.

The Stoics encourage us to meet our challenges head on. Our challenges show us the direction in which we need to go. The greatest achievements in life lie on the other side of an obstacle, so see that obstacle as an opportunity.

Seneca — Everyone is Facing a Difficult Challenge — Stop Complaining!

“Well imagine that life is saying to you, ‘Those things you grumble about are the same for everyone. I can give no one anything easier. But anyone who likes may make them easier for himself.’ How? By viewing them with equanimity.” ~ Seneca

Everyone is facing, has recently faced, or will soon face a challenge. You are not alone. So stop complaining about it. It’s a complete waste of your precious energy and gets you nowhere.

Instead, channel that negative energy into gritty determination. Face this challenge with equanimity. Be calm, cool, and collected. Show composure as you tackle it.

Epictetus — The Bigger the Challenge, the Better

“So when trouble comes, think of yourself as a wrestler whom God, like a trainer, has paired with a tough young buck. For what purpose? To turn you into Olympic-class material.”

Simple challenges produce little if no results. Where’s the glory in conquering small tasks? It’s nowhere to be found because it doesn’t exist.

If you want to truly level-up in life, if you want to accomplish great things, if you want to be “Olympic-class material”, you have to take on the big challenges. They’re training you for the bigger and better challenges you will face in the future.

So, the next time you are faced with a challenge, remind yourself of the wisdom of the Stoics and tell yourself the words my old boss Bruce used to tell me:

“If it was easy anyone could do it.”

Is this challenge you are facing easy? No.

But, are you just anyone? No.

You’re someone who loves a good challenge!