One Decision. Two Roads. A Lifetime of Difference.

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” — Fred DeVito

The Road Not Taken

One of the most impactful pieces of writing I’ve ever come across is Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken.” The line most people remember, “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference” sums up something I’ve come to believe deeply: the easy route is rarely the one that leads to real growth. It’s the harder path, the one that demands more of us, that often shapes a life we can be proud of.

It’s easy to chase comfort. To choose the smooth road that asks little and gives quick rewards. But if I’m honest, every time I’ve taken the easier way, I’ve looked back with a quiet sense of regret. Not because the choice ruined anything, but because I knew I had more to give. 

Take high school, for example. I graduated with high honours. On paper, it looked great, but,  when I think back, I remember choosing a lower level Math course, not because it challenged me, but because I liked the teacher and knew it would be an easier semester. I made the comfortable choice, not the courageous one. And even now, when I think about it, that sticks with me - not as shame, but as a reminder that pride often lives on the other side of effort.

The Best Path is Rarely Easy

Whether it’s in business or in life, the best path rarely feels easy at the start. It’s supposed to feel hard. That’s the sign we’re growing, pushing, learning. One of the best quotes I’ve ever heard sums it up perfectly:

 “I’ll see you at the top, because the bottom is too crowded.”

We weren’t meant to coast. We were meant to climb.
To try.
To fail sometimes.
To risk.
To stretch.
To take the road less traveled—not because it’s glamorous, but because that’s where transformation lives.

One of my last conversations with my mother has stayed with me. She reminded me to keep taking risks, to love hard and don’t close off to potential, to try new things, and to push myself toward whatever my version of greatness looks like.

I believe that's advice worth living by.

Closing Thoughts: A Life Worth Living

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

So if you're staring down two paths today - one that looks smooth and easy, and one that looks challenging and uncertain, I encourage you to lean into the hard one. It might not give you immediate comfort, but it will give you something far more valuable: a life worth being proud of.