Tough times can be blinding. Hardship can be traumatizing. When things are not going the way we want, we humans, despite our high level of intelligence, can be so quick to forget the good times that preceded any bad ones that emerge. And so we complain and whine, asking “why me?. Those who feel they can no longer cope eventually decide to cut corners to escape further adversity.

Many Have Heard That Hardship Presents An Opportunity to Grow

You’ve most likely heard or read the above in one form or the other in the past.

I’ve however discovered that despite encountering this truth, many people find it hard to accept.

And so they actively explore ways to get what they want in life without experiencing difficulty hardship.

That’s why we hear of athletes who use performance enhancing drugs…

Of students who, instead of reading, bribe their way to exams success…

Or blog/website owners who buy links to boost their search engine rankings even when they know Google considers it illegal.

What these people fail to realize is that they’ll always lose out in the long run.

People Who Cut Corners Hurt Themselves

Probably due to fear and anxiety arising from the harsh economic times, some people are giving in to the urge to cut corners in their personal and work lives.

Sometimes it’s because they have dependants to cater for.

But cheating and/or corner cutting can be intoxicating. Once you’ve fallen into the trap, getting out becomes difficult and will often require a rare brand of courage and determination.

Cheating denies you the opportunity to improve yourself. It makes you lazy, because psychologically you no longer feel pressured or challenged to exert or stretch yourself.

Over time you’ll discover you no longer have the hands on competence to match, or compete effectively with others who don’t cheat.

Your self confidence will suffer greatly, and you’ll become fearful that they’ll discover you’re not as competent as they think you are.

That the numerous articles getting churned out from your blog, which you claim to have authored by yourself, were actually written by a writer you secretely hired.

We know creating content on your blog will not necessarily be all you. It’s accepted that content can be purchased.

But when you begin telling others that you personally wrote content you know you purchased, that’s when you cross the line.

What You Can Do

Good times are unlikely to push people to cheat or cut corners. When things are going the way we want we don’t complain.

The only time we do that is when we don’t like what’s happening to us.

So the key to preserving your integrity, self respect and discipline is to stand firm. Refuse to compromise your values or integrity, no matter what happens.

Instead, dig deep and challenge yourself to find legitimate and honourable ways to overcome the bout of adversity.

In the short run it may look like an unwise move. But in the long run you’ll be better off. Indeed, if you’re sincere, you may be pleasantly surprised by a solution that could come to you. Your creator who sees your heart will provide a viable alternative for you.