The proliferation of “10 Easy Ways” to happiness, riches, health, beauty and an escorted guide (and smooth ride) to heaven will not abate. Nor would I counsel the author seeking fame or fortune to swerve from the pack to identify the “10 Hard, Boring Ways” to….

But reticence in counseling others is no excuse for not counseling one’s self. And for this I offer: “1 Not So Easy and Not So Hard” suggestion. Let’s put the suggestion as a question for each to ask of himself/herself: “Do we grow into the person we want to be by emulating what we admire in others or by resisting in ourselves what we dislike in others?”

Please hasten to identify the false assumptions, the false distinctions, the unwarranted conclusions in my question. Have at it. But dare I suggest that through the chipping and chopping we will encounter the question; and through the encounter, we will enrich the “1 Not So Easy and Not So Hard” path to being the person we want to be, whether through emulation of qualities we admire in others, or through recoiling from those we scorn.