We’re now deep into the fourth generation of the self-help guru. This generation shares much with its predecessors, including fondness for the shortcut. People like Tim Ferriss have made their name on finding and exploiting these shortcuts, or “hacks” as they’re called by this generation. Many of these shorts are extremely valuable, as is the idea of seeking out and exploiting new shortcuts.
But, this is a dangerous precipice to walk. Shortcuts will only get you so far, and spending enormous amounts of time searching them out is generally a fool’s errand.
Followers of people like Tim Ferris find it easy to create a fantasy world where anything is possible in 30 or 60 days. Six pack abs, becoming a social butterfly, founding the next dot com darling, or living dream life: it’s easy to believe it’s all just a few hacks away. If we could only find the right tactics, the right shortcut, we’ll be there.
This is how losers think.
Getting really good at something is a pursuit measured in years, not months. Certainly not days.