CHARACTER Can't Be Hacked

Jake Luehrs
May 31, 2025

ONE QUESTION

What important things and people in your life are getting the leftovers of you?

ONE THING TO PONDER

Most people would rather be right than be free.

ONE PERSPECTIVE

We have unconsciously created a desire for things to be easier rather than choosing to get stronger.

Here’s what we are failing to acknowledge: We don't get the benefit of a pushup by reading about them.

We steal from ourselves every single day.

This is a little bit of a rant about our culture right now, so hang in there with me.

We've turned every meaningful pursuit into a cheap magic trick.

A hack.

A shortcut that promises everything while delivering nothing.

- Health? There's a pill for that…..And we don’t have to go to the gym or eat any differently.

- Wealth? “Follow this 7-step program and become a millionaire in a year.”

- Skills? “Watch this 10-minute YouTube video and become an expert today.”

- Relationships? There's no hack for genuine connection and trust.

- Respect? “Use these words and you’ll command respect.”

It's all smoke and mirrors. And we're eating it up like candy.

Shortcuts are the thieves of wisdom in meaningful things.

There are no shortcuts to true character traits and building effective skills.

Shortcuts skip the very experiences that create wisdom.

To become a master of something, it takes thousands of iterations for us to know what works, what doesn’t, and how to move forward. Shortcuts and hacks can’t provide that insight.

I'm not suggesting being inefficient. I'm suggesting to stop cheating ourselves out of the growth that creates sustained success.

If we want to build a meaningful and profitable business, shortcuts will likely hinder more than help.

Then—and only then—we become an "overnight success.” Amazing how that works, isn't it?

The Process Creates Character. Remember, the process builds the person.

There are a lot of ways to build meaningful lives - personally or professionally. None of them from my experience include moving from one life hack to another.

Just remember this; Patience is a Superpower.

What We're Really Losing

When we choose shortcuts over character-building experiences, we lose more than just skills. We lose:

- Resilience (because we never learned to push through difficulty)
- Confidence (because we never proved to ourselves we could overcome)
- Wisdom (because we skipped the very experiences that create it)
- Respect (because deep down, we know we didn't earn it)

Find something you're genuinely passionate about—not because it looks good on Instagram, but because it lights you up from the inside.

Then dig in. Learn everything you can. Fail spectacularly. Get back up. Help others along the way.

Let the money, recognition, and applause be natural byproducts of that deep work.

The true internal success is being able to be grateful along the journey!~

Onward and upward!

PODCAST

Shaolin Monk Shi Heng Yi - The Art Of Self Mastery

Modern Wisdom

This one won’t be for everyone, but it is for those that are on the path of learning as much as they can about themselves. When we base our internal compass and how we feel 100% on outside circumstances and people, understand you’ll never experience any significant peace or joy…and if you do, it will be fleeting at best. Listen if you’re willing to look at your internal experience of life differently, otherwise I’d recommend moving on, which is ok too.

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

Leading with Noble Purpose
by Lisa Earle McLeod

This book was different, it suggested a different perspective that I found helpful. There is no one way to live this life well, lots of options. “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by the lack of meaning and purpose.” If you’re looking for something to prompt thought and challenge the way you’re looking at your work, this book would be worthwhile. Would love to know your thoughts if you do.