I've been trying to address this recently in my own thinking, as I have the same tendency to overvalue the idea of effortless success. It has coloured far too m

I've been trying to address this recently in my own thinking, as I have the same tendency to overvalue the idea of effortless success. It has coloured far too many interactions and decisions in my life. I've made some progress recently by trying to gradually tease it apart: who is this performance for, anyway? Why is it more important to me -- the monkey juggling in front of the mirror -- that the ability comes naturally? Surely the self-esteem that can be milked from some innate aptitude is limited compared to what there is from demonstrated improvement through conscientious practice. Learned or not, it's a lazy, shallow and fragile foundation for one's identity. Success without effort is too much of a cheap endorphin shot to qualify as worthy of more than a passing thought.