Caveat to this: there is no substitute for hard work IFANDONLYIF you enjoy the journey itself, and want to be good at the process. There are plenty of things w

Caveat to this: there is no substitute for hard work IFANDONLYIF you enjoy the journey itself, and want to be good at the process. There are plenty of things where people don't care for the process -- they just want the results, whether it's money, fame, body, or what not. And to that: there's plenty of substitutes for hard work. But I do think there are plenty of things where the deliberateness of the journey is the reward. For plenty of runners who run a marathon, the payoff isn't checking it off the todo list but the exercise of willpower. Same goes to hobbies, same goes to skills -- and honestly people tick in different ways. But I do think the OP just wants us to enjoy the journey and be invested in it.