Every so often, I come across something that profoundly shifts my perspective—and nerd that I am, I get super excited about sharing the magic with you😆
In this case, it was the question, “What would it look like if this were easy?” It’s attributed to Tim Ferriss, the author of several books, including The 4-Hour Workweek (I have yet to read this, but the title has captured my curiosity).
Asking myself “What would it look like if this were easy?” has been a gamechanger in those moments where I’m feeling stuck or overwhelmed while pursuing a goal.
It opens the door to possibility by reminding me that not every aspect of change needs to feel grindy, hard, or out of reach. Leaning into the question forces me to look at things differently and opens new thought pathways for what’s possible. Essentially, it challenges me to flip my perspective, reframe the situation, and look at the problem through a lens of ease—which, admittedly, goes a bit against my grain.
Asking myself the question also puts me back in control of the change process. The cards aren’t stacked against me—I have the power to make things easier. But to do that, I first need to know what “easy” actually looks like for me.
This gets me to think about the process and how I want that process to look. So often, we just think about the thing that we want, without clearly mapping out how we’ll go from where we are today, to where we want to be.
And not putting the work in to clearly map things out can be the end of our pursuit of the goal. The lack of clarity or indecision about how to move forward can cause stress, worry, and overwhelm to the point that we’re paralyzed and take no action at all.
By asking, “What would it look like if this were easy?”, we’re prompted to define how to move forward and how to do it in a way that doesn’t have to feel hard.
This question has been such a powerful tool for me that I now use it to challenge my clients’ perspective when they feel unable to take action in pursuit of their goals. It’s amazing to see how often the solution is simple, even when the problem initially feels overly complex and laden with obstacles.
For example, one client has been struggling for months to get better rest. After a hectic day at work, she often falls asleep on the couch, only to wake up hours later to drag herself to bed. This disruption to her sleep cycle leaves her feeling drained day after day.
The friction around getting into bed lies in the timing of her nighttime routine. Because she’s so exhausted, removing her makeup and brushing her teeth feel like huge obstacles at the end of a long day. These two tasks are so daunting that she avoids them by sitting on her couch procrastinating, where she inevitably falls asleep.
The solution to making going to bed feel easy?
✅Not having to take her make-up off and brush her teeth to get into bed.
What does she need to do to make this a reality?
✅Take her makeup off as soon as she comes home from work and brush her teeth right after she eats dinner.
With those two tasks out of the way, the barriers to a proper bedtime are removed.
Simple. Sometimes asking the right question reveals the easiest solution.
How can you use this powerful question to break through the resistance that’s holding you back from pursuing a goal in your life?
For example, what would it look like if it were easy to:
Get more movement in during your day?
Eat more vegetables?
Eat enough protein?
Improve your stress response?
Feel more fulfilled?
By asking, “What would it look like if this were easy?” you’re not just finding a solution to a specific problem—you’re shifting your mindset to see possibilities where you once saw obstacles. The beauty of this question is that it empowers you to take small, manageable steps toward big changes, without the weight of overwhelm dragging you down.
Whether it’s improving your sleep, eating healthier, making time for movement, or seeking a calmer existence, simplicity can often be the key to progress. So next time you find yourself stuck, take a deep breath and ask yourself: What if it were easy?
You might be surprised by how quickly the answer becomes clear—and how much lighter the journey feels.
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