The Myth of the Easy Button: What People Really Want to Achieve Their Outcomes

That Big Red Button We All Secretly Want

If you’ve ever browsed through an office supply store, you’ve probably seen one of those shiny red novelty buttons labeled “EASY.” Press it, and it chirps: “That was easy!”

It’s funny, sure — but here’s the more profound truth:

We all want the easy button in life.

We crave shortcuts, quick wins, and effortless outcomes. And after years as a salesperson, speaker, mentor, and coach, I’ve learned something vital:

People don’t just want results — they want the easiest, fastest, least painful way to get them.

But here’s the catch: – The easy button rarely delivers. – And when it does, it usually comes with a price you didn’t expect.

Why We’re Wired to Want Easy

Let’s own it: human nature leans toward the path of least resistance.

From an evolutionary standpoint, we’re built to:

• Spot patterns

• Conserve energy

• Seek efficiency and avoid unnecessary effort

It’s not laziness — it’s biology.

So when we’re offered a “surefire” system, a five-step shortcut, or a guaranteed win, we’re drawn to it. Whether you’re an executive, a salesperson, a parent, or a young professional, the pull is the same:

You want the result, and you want to skip the messy, uncertain, hard parts.

The Lesson My Parents Taught Me

I learned early on that there are no shortcuts:

• Ground balls until my hands were sore

• Swim laps until I could go 500 yards nonstop

• Memorize state capitals until they flowed effortlessly

No skipping steps. No magic buttons. Just repetition, practice, and mastery.

How the Easy Button Shows Up Today

In the business world, I see the easy button mindset everywhere:

• Companies try to buy culture change instead of living it

• Salespeople search for perfect scripts instead of learning to adapt

• Individuals look for success hacks instead of doing the hard inner work

When I mentor people, I tell them:

There’s no shortcut to mastery — but there is a faster path if you’re ready to fully commit, no RESOLVE.

What People Really Want: Control

Here’s the deeper truth:

It’s not just that we want things to be easy. We want to feel in control.

The easy button offers: -Certainty -Simplicity – Predictability — that “if I do X, I’ll get Y”

But life, leadership, and growth don’t work that way.

In sales, there’s no single presentation that works every time. In fitness, no one-size-fits-all workout or diet. In leadership, no perfect plan for every decision.

What Actually Works: Master Hard Things

If you want meaningful outcomes, the real “easy button” is this:

Get really good at doing hard things.

That means:

• Showing up even when you don’t feel like it — like getting up at 3:50 a.m. to train

• Having tough conversations others avoid — backed by real trust and rapport

• Sticking with habits when motivation fades — learning to be okay with the grind

• Learning from failure — as Tom Hopkins says, “Failure is just the negative feedback I need to adjust course.”

• Practicing your craft until what’s hard for others feels natural to you — so when a high-stakes moment hits (like a plane crash), you’re ready

This is the part no one wants to sell you — because it’s not flashy or fast. But it’s the only path that works long-term.

The Risk of Chasing Easy

Here’s the danger:

If you chase the easy button too hard, you sacrifice what matters most.

When you over-rely on shortcuts:

• You lose resilience — because you’ve never faced real resistance

• You lose adaptability — because you’ve only followed scripts, not learned principles

• You lose confidence — because deep down, you know you didn’t earn the win

I’ve seen talented sales people flame out because they only knew how to win under perfect conditions. I’ve seen leaders break trust because they wanted quick fixes without doing the relational work. I’ve seen individuals jump from shortcut to shortcut, never investing deeply.

What I Teach Instead: Earned Ease

When I coach high-performers, I focus on: -Building systems, not shortcuts – Mastering fundamentals, not just tricks – Developing inner resilience, not just outer success

True ease comes when you’ve earned it — when you’ve put in the reps, built the skill, and strengthened the character to handle life’s challenges.

That’s when things start to feel effortless — not because they’re actually easy, but because you’ve become someone who can handle them.

The Real Easy Button: Commitment + Mastery

If you take one thing away, let it be this:

The fastest path to your goals isn’t shortcuts — it’s full commitment to the hard work that matters.

When you commit:

• You move faster because you stop hesitating

• You learn faster because you stop avoiding mistakes

• You grow faster because you face the real work head-on

That’s the real easy button — becoming so good at the hard parts that they no longer slow you down.

Final Reflection: What Are You Chasing?

Ask yourself:

• Where am I chasing shortcuts instead of building mastery?

• Where am I asking for hacks instead of learning the deeper game?

• Where do I need to stop looking for the easy button and start committing to the real work?

Let’s Work Together

If you’re ready to stop chasing surface wins and start building something meaningful — in your career, business, or personal life — I invite you to connect with me.

Through my speaking engagements, Moments Matter magazine, coaching programs, and mentorship, I help people just like you break free from the easy button trap and build a life and career of resilience, mastery, and fulfillment.

It’s not about making life easy. It’s about becoming someone who can handle the hard things when they come — and win.

Having the freedom of time, money, mission, and relationship.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re ready to stop waiting and start doing, reach out. Let’s work together to sharpen your resilience, elevate your edge, and help you achieve the outcomes you care about most.

You don’t need a magic button. You need a proven path — and the courage to walk it