Things That Everyone Thinks Are Hard but Are Actually Fun

Have you ever looked at someone doing something amazing—writing software, performing on stage, running a marathon—and thought, That’s just not for me?

Most people assume certain skills are reserved for “natural talents” or “gifted” individuals. But the truth is, hard things often look impossible from the outside—until you start. And sometimes, they turn out to be fun.

How I Learned This Firsthand

When I was first learning to write software, it seemed like creating a complete product was something only accomplished by a genius. Looking at video games like Super Mario World and comparing them to my “Hello, World” programs, the gap between where I was and where I wanted to be seemed like it might be uncrossable.

After becoming a working programmer for eight years, I no longer had that concern.

Comedy was the same story. I loved to watch stand-up and improv, but because I was “too introverted” it seemed impossible for me. One day, I enrolled in an improv comedy class for beginners, just to see what it would be like. Ten years later, I was performing on stage, doing what I once assumed was impossible, and enjoying it.

What if I’m bad?

You will be bad. At first. And that’s fine.

Every computer science student knows the pain of staring at broken code for hours, trying to figure out why it does not work, and then finally fixing one tiny detail that makes everything fall into place.

Comedy students will not know what to say on stage, they will overact or stand there woodenly, they will say weird and inappropriate things that they hope are funny but are not, they will mumble and hide from the audience, and they will stain their clothing with pit sweat during every class.

Nobody skips the awkward stage.

How do I stay motivated?

Every small win is one step closer to the goal.

Seeing a bit of code you wrote do something successfully leads to a feeling of, Wow, I just did that.

The first time you do something on stage that makes the teacher smile, you will want to do it again and see if you can get them to laugh.

Learn from others.

Reading books by myself only took me so far, but enrolling in school for computer science meant I was inspired by what my peers were doing.

When doing too many scenes had fried my brain, I could sit back and watch other students perform their scenes. It was like going to a free comedy show!

How long until I’m good?

In the short term, big plans seem daunting. Over the long term, you will accomplish more than you expected.

I assumed that my degree takes four years, so you need to spend four years. A friend of mine left college early, explaining that he had learned everything necessary in three years. Today, he is a Systems Architect at Google.

If I had known it was going to take five years to become “just okay” and ten years to become comfortable on stage, I might not have started on the path at all. But I am glad I spent the time doing something I love.

Things take as long as they take. Focus on today and tomorrow will take care of itself.

How do I know When I’m Good Enough?

You are always good enough to be a beginner.

There’s no invisible barrier between you and the life you want—no cosmic sign saying you must be this tall to ride. The only way to get there is to start. You might even find out that the “hard” thing is actually fun.