Hard Easy: A Get-Real Guide for Getting the Life You Want

Hard Easy isn’t a book that gives you instructions on what to do and how to magically improve your life. Instead, it focuses on taking those little choices we face every day and turning them into actionable questions. What happens if I give into my child’s tantrum? What if I put off studying for this test? The focus isn’t on what you should do, but on the cumulative results of your choices.For me, one of the first moments that truly hit was when he spoke about his struggle getting his son to do homework. I’m not a parent, but I am a college student who also works fulltime. When he spoke of the positive feelings one gets from putting something off, I understood completely. After a long day of work, the number one thing I want is food and sleep. I know I should work on my projects, or go to the gym, or call my mother, but those tasks feel so daunting. Meanwhile, the act of putting them off feels much more manageable. Hard Easy pointed out to me that I shouldn’t focus on what feels good and easy right now, but on the results of my labor if I choose to act.Of course, this doesn’t just apply to school. Though the author and I have seemingly nothing in common, I found myself relating the topics to my own life as he moved from work to crises to familial and romantic relationships. His focus wasn’t on himself, but on universal aspects of life.Coombs isn’t afraid to offer hard truths either. In his chapter on romantic relationships, he says something so simple and yet so profound. If you’re not able to identify your own core values, you’re not ready for a relationship. I wish someone had given me this advice years ago. His book isn’t about sugarcoating or making the reader comfortable, but it does offer personable anecdotes and humorous asides to help soften the blow.My favorite part was the science. Though the stories and moments of vulnerability made his theory easy to digest, it was the facts that really got me thinking. Coombs goes into detail about the human brain and how it rewards us for the choices we make. He also takes us back to the history of man and how we’ve evolved to think in these ways. I will always be fascinated by solid scientific studies, and I appreciate the way he cites his sources.Hard Easy seems like a simple concept, and that’s really because it is. I found myself thinking of the facts and studies long after I put the book down and, when choices came up in my life, I found myself pitting them against the law of Hard Easy. It’s a quick read, but insightful and entertaining for audiences of all demographics.

Going into Hard Easy: A Get-Real Guide for Getting the Life You Want by Arthur F. Coombs III, I was excited to read another self-help book; especially by a best-selling author and motivator. The foreword was lengthy, but, it gave me high hopes for what was to come. In my past experiences with self-help books, the longer the foreword, the better the advice and tips.However, I unfortunately have to say that I was disappointed with how the book progressed. Going into it, I was thinking about the candid phrase my father always said (and still does), “The harder it is now, the easier it’s going to be in the future.” I was surprised to spot a book with the words Hard Easy in the title, so I picked it up!The beginning short story was interesting. Coombs learned some helpful advice from a mentor figure, which I’m sure we can all relate to. The door to the Hard-Easy lifestyle was opened and Coombs ran with it when he had a real-life experience involving a horse. I genuinely enjoyed reading that story and it reminded me of a mentor I had during the younger stages of my life.I disliked the following short story and it ruined the rest of the book for me. Essentially, Coombs’ son was doing poorly in school so, after battling the father-son wrestle each night for home work, he decided a different method would work better. Mind you, this was after he withheld food from his son until he finished those “three pages” of work. He, instead, took his son to Walmart at 2:00 AM to ask his son if that is where he wanted to end up by not getting good grades. Although before, Coombs claimed that the trip was NOT to degrade the workers, he discredited himself during the story. Telling his 14 year old that most of the workers were here because of their CHOICES, not always circumstances, was where I became frustrated and took in the rest of the book with a heaping amount of salt. The phrase, “You cannot demand a service while simultaneously degrading those who provide it,” came to mind many times.I did enjoy the Key Ideas and Questions to Ask Yourself sections at the end of each chapter; I think it was a great way to keep the reader engaged and make sure that they were taking in the information.Over all, I’m sure many people will find Coombs’ book helpful and relatable in an abundance of ways, I just cannot align my morals with teachings targeted towards degrading minimum wage workers as motivation. Coombs later stated that he could get his son back on track by simply saying, “Walmart,” and his son would understand. The classism and entitlement in some of these short stories almost prevented me from finishing the book.As Coombs advised early on in the Preface, I gave these ideas due process and made my verdict. I would encourage you readers out there to do the same.

This book isn't one that you pick up once and then put down on the shelf never to pick up again. After I finished reading it, I was left feeling inspired to re-evaluate the decisions I'm making in my day to day life and with a genuine sense of excitement for the future. I found the consistent layout in each chapter really helped me follow what was being said throughout the book without ever feeling overwhelmed or in over my head - despite the fact that consciously choosing a Hard-Easy lifestyle is a bit daunting. Plus, I thought the balance Coombs found in giving us lessons backed by researched case studies, personal life experiences and illustrative examples, as well as a recap and things to think of by yourself, really allowed the reader to fully comprehend the message he was trying to send across and in his words, 'understand the why'. Definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to feel inspired to work hard and be more mindful of their daily decisions!

I didn't think I would say this, but I couldn't put this book down.The no-nonsense attitude of the author, combined with him delivering exactly what he promised created an interesting mixture of informative, thought-provoking and inspiring read.The idea of working hard now and have things easy later, and how to achieve that mindset was interesting enough, but I was particularly astonished when he gave an insight into how mental health can play a crucial part in the way we act.I was truly impressed with both the book and the struggles behind it. I can only recommend read Hard Easy.