Is My Generation Always Looking For The Short Cuts?

Recently, I've noticed a trend among my generation (I kind of consider myself to be a Gen Z, but I guess I can pass for Millennials as well) - we're always looking for the shortcut. I don’t think it’s because we're lazy, but rather that we're so used to having instant and easy access to information and basically everything else we want, that we often forget the value of hard work, research, and patience.

We can Google anything and get an answer within seconds, and normally we are pretty happy with the three lines of response, so no need to dive deep to learn more. We can order food or clothes with a few taps on our phones. We're used to getting what we want quickly and dare I say - easily, so it's only natural that we bring that mindset into other areas of our lives, like work or relationships.

I’ve noticed that with myself, especially at the beginning of my career. I would work on a project, and when something I don’t understand and know nothing about comes up I’ll just google it. Now that’s not a bad thing, it’s actually good because I am supposed to learn something new, right?

But how much am I really learning, after scanning briefly through a 2,000 words article, that has bold 7 sections? At best I would come out with the basic information about something I knew nothing about and almost no relevant experience or knowledge that I can apply to my work.

Recently I started to take a moment, when I find myself in situations like that, and try to envision what outcomes I can get if I learn something for 2 minutes, and continue with my day, or actually spend a good amount of time - 30 mins, maybe an hour, maybe 2.

What difference if I take the shortcut, or simply walk the long road?

I’ve come to learn the importance of hard work and patience, and that instant gratification is not the default. Success isn't just about getting there quickly - it's about the journey and the growth that comes with it.