Overcoming an obstacle is like pushing a boulder over a hill. It doesn’t happen by itself - it requires a concerted effort.

But raw effort isn’t enough. Quality and quantity matters too. Push the boulder in the wrong direction and you fall behind on your goal. Push it too softly and it rolls back to where you started. To get it to the other side, you have to cross a threshold of activation energy.

That is the nature of obstacles. Until you reach the activation energy, your effort is in vain. If you want results, you have to put in the work to go all the way. The effort comes first; the payoff later.

The next time you contemplate giving up halfway, remember this. It’s all or nothing - there is no partial credit. As long as the problem persists, some effort is as good as none. Why not finish what you started? The problem isn’t going to resolve itself, so the only way out is through.

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P.S: You can find more of my thoughts on Twitter @_suketk.