One of the biggest challenges that I’ve seen in some people from my generation is the desire to have everything that they want right here, right now. There is a sense of entitlement that leads them to believe that they should not have to wait for types of success that have taken others a lifetime to achieve.

“I shouldn’t have to go to school.”

“I shouldn’t have to save money.”

“I shouldn’t have to start at the bottom.”

“I shouldn’t have to volunteer.”

The list goes on and on but this is a significant problem. Proverbs 13:11 says, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.” When we try to represent ourselves as having success that we haven’t earned, it’s dishonest. Whether you study athletes, musicians, ministers, doctors or any other profession, there is always a long and hard road to true success. If you truly want to have it, you need to come to terms with the reality that the path is not going to be easy.

I think about Rocky in Rocky 4 when he comes to terms with the fact that he needs to go to Russia to fight Ivan Drago. He gets in that sweet sports car and the song, “There’s No Easy Way Out,” comes on. Rocky realizes that he’s got the hardest fight of his life in front of him and the hardest training he’ll ever have to do. The good news is that the harder the road and the more that it requires of you, the greater the potential for pay off is on the other side.

Where do you need to pay now and play later? This principle applies to marriage, parenting and pretty much anything worth doing in life. We live in a culture of instant gratification and it tells an attractive lie. It tells our culture that success can be financed and that hard work is out of date. This is a lie and the sooner we recognize it, the better. So start paying the high price to get the big pay offs in life and you won’t be sorry you did.