Do What is Right, Not What Is Easy

 “Do What is Right, Not What Is Easy”

Building a legacy that stands the test of time in the midst of fake life

By Williams Patrick Praise

There are so many fishes in the river yet they taste differently, although they all resides in water, has same resemblance. We are created unilingually, although a cat may wear a skirt within the cat he knows that he is a cat.

We live in the era of the "curated identity." At any given moment, we are surrounded by a digital masquerade—a world where filters blur imperfections, staged photos simulate success, and "likes" have become a modern currency for self-worth. It has never been easier to look like you’ve made it while feeling entirely hollow inside. But there is a quiet, persistent friction between the person we present to the world and the person we are when the screen goes dark. This friction stems from a fundamental choice we make every single day: Will I do what is easy, or will I do what is right? Doing what is easy builds a facade. Doing what is right builds a legacy.

The Seduction of the "Easy" Path

The path of least resistance is tempting because it offers immediate gratification. In a "fake life" culture, the easy path usually involves:

Performative Excellence: Focusing on how your work looks rather than how it actually functions.

The Shortcut Mentality: Choosing the quick win or the "growth hack" over the slow, agonising process of mastery.

Silent Compliance: Staying quiet when you see an injustice because speaking up might jeopardise your social standing or "personal brand."

The danger of the easy path isn't just that it’s shallow; it’s that it’s brittle. Anything built on a foundation of convenience will crumble the moment the environment changes. If your reputation is built on optics rather than character, you aren't building a legacy—you’re building a sandcastle. Yet a quick rise beget a quick fall without substance.

Defining the "Right" in a World of Relativism

Doing "what is right" sounds simple in a Sunday school lesson, but it’s grueling in the real world. Doing what is right often means being the only person in the room who isn't laughing at a cruel joke. It means admitting a mistake that no one else would have caught. It means choosing quality over profit when no one is looking. True integrity is defined by the Cost of Entry. If doing the right thing doesn't cost you something—time, money, comfort, or popularity—then you aren't being tested; you're just being convenient.

The Integrity Matrix

Action	The "Easy" Way	The "Right" Way	Long-term Impact
Conflict	Avoidance or "Ghosting"	Honest Conversation	Stronger Relationships
Success	Taking all the credit	Sharing the spotlight	Loyalty and Respect
Failure	Blaming others/circumstances	Extreme Ownership	Growth and Resilience
Ethics	Cutting corners for speed	Adhering to standards	Unshakable Reputation

The Architecture of a Lasting Legacy

A legacy isn't something you leave behind when you die; it’s something you live while you are here. To build something that stands the test of time in an age of superficiality, you must focus on three pillars:

1. Substance over Semantics

In the "fake life" economy, people spend thousands on the "look" of a business before they’ve even served a single customer. To build a legacy, you must flip the script. Focus on the utility of your actions. Does your work actually help people? Is your kindness genuine, or is it a calculated move for engagement? Substance is what remains when the trends change.

2. The Power of "No"

You cannot do what is right if you cannot say "no" to what is popular. The easy path is crowded. If you find yourself constantly moving with the herd, you aren't leading; you’re following. A legacy is forged in the moments you stood your ground, even when it was socially expensive. Be your genuine yourself and be beautiful. Its easier for a camel to walk the desert on a camel’s legs than run with a borrow horse strength.

3. Radical Consistency

Anyone can do the right thing once. Authenticity isn't a single event; it’s a pattern of behaviour. Legacy is the sum total of your smallest, most boring decisions. It’s the 100% times you chose to be honest when a lie would have been easier.

As the saying goes: "Character is what a man is in the dark."

Navigating the "Fake Life" Trap

How do we remain grounded when the world rewards the artificial? It requires a mental "re-wiring."

Stop Comparing Your "Behind-the-Scenes" to Others' "Highlight Reels": You are seeing the finished, edited product of others while living through your own messy process. Comparing the two is a recipe for compromise.

Audit Your Inner Circle: Surround yourself with "truth-tellers" rather than "yes-men." If the people around you only celebrate your successes and never challenge your ethics, you are in a dangerous position.

Practice Micro-Integrity: Start small. Return the extra change at the grocery store. Give credit to the colleague who helped you. These small wins build the "moral muscle" needed for when the stakes get high.

The Verdict of Time

Time is the ultimate truth-teller. It strips away the filters, the PR spins, and the temporary hype. When the noise of the present fades, only two things remain: Who you were and How you treated people.

The "fake life" is exhausting to maintain. It requires a constant stream of new content, new lies, and new masks. Doing what is right, while difficult in the moment, is actually the more efficient path in the long run. It provides a "moral clarity" that simplifies decision-making. You don't have to remember your lies if you always tell the truth. You don't have to worry about being "found out" if your foundation is solid.

Your Choice Today

Legacy is not a monument built of stone; it is a footprint left in the lives of others. In a world that screams for your attention and begs you to fit in, the most rebellious—and most rewarding—thing you can do is to be unyieldingly authentic.

Choose the difficult conversation over the easy silence.
Choose the hard-earned skill over the flashy shortcut.
Choose the quiet truth over the loud lie.

Do what is right, not what is easy. The world might not notice today, but history will. Here is a two-part framework to help you codify your values and protect your integrity online.

Part 1: Defining Your "North Star" Core Values

To do what is right, you have to know what "right" looks like for you. Pick 3 to 5 values. If you have ten, you have none—it’s too many to remember in a moment of crisis.

Value	The "Right" Action (Legacy)	The "Easy" Action (Fake Life)
Authentic Ownership	Admitting a mistake publicly and fixing it.	Deleting a post or blaming "the algorithm."
Generous Mentorship	Sharing your "secret sauce" to help others grow.	Hoarding information to stay on top.
Unseen Integrity	Maintaining quality even on parts no one sees.	Cutting corners on "invisible" details.
Courageous Candour	Giving the hard feedback that helps someone.	"People-pleasing" while venting behind their back.

Part 2: The "Anti-Fake" Social Media Strategy

If you want to build a legacy online without falling into the "curated identity" trap, your content should follow the Rule of Three:

1. The "Ugly" Progress (30%)

Don't just post the trophy; post the sweat.

The Goal: Show your audience the 90% of work that goes into the 10% of success.

Content Idea: Share a "Failure Log"—a project that didn't work and what it taught you about doing things the right way.

2. Value-Driven Education (50%)

Move from "Look at me" to "Here is how this helps you."

The Goal: Build authority through service, not status.

Content Idea: Break down a complex topic in your field. Use your expertise to provide a "no-shortcut" guide to doing something well.

3. Principled Opinion (20%)

Take a stand on something that matters in your industry or community.

The Goal: Demonstrate that you have a backbone.

Content Idea: "Why I stopped doing (Popular but unethical industry trend)." This signals to your tribe that you value "right" over "easy.

Part 3: The "Legacy Check" (A Daily Audit)

Before you hit "post" or make a major business decision, ask yourself these three questions:

1) The Mirror Test: If I do this, will I like the person looking back at me tomorrow morning?

2) The 10-Year Test: Will this decision matter in a decade, or is it just for a temporary "boost"?

3) The Transparency Test: Would I be comfortable if the entire process behind this decision was made public?

You can use this as a "Pinned Post" on Instagram or LinkedIn, an "About Me" page on a website, or even printed out near your workspace.

The Manifesto: Substance Over Surface

I am choosing to build a legacy, not just a profile.
In a world addicted to the "easy" win, the filtered truth, and the temporary high of external validation, I am committing to a different path. I believe that who we are in the dark matters more than who we pretend to be in the light.These are my non-negotiables:

1) I choose Character over Convenience. I will do the right thing even when it’s expensive, inconvenient, or goes unnoticed. If a shortcut costs me my integrity, the price is too high.

2) I choose Impact over Optics. I refuse to focus on how my life looks at the expense of how it actually feels. I value the depth of my work and the health of my soul over the metrics of a screen.

3) I choose Truth over Trends. Popularity is fleeting; truth is timeless. I will speak with candour, admit my failures, and stand my ground—even if I’m standing alone.

4) I choose Ownership over Excuses. I am the architect of my reputation. When I stumble, I will own it. When I succeed, I will share it.

My Promise:

I will not offer you a curated version of perfection. I will offer you the messy, honest reality of someone trying to leave the world better than they found it. I am playing the long game. I am building something that stands the test of time.

I am doing what is right, not what is easy.

@WPPraise

wpp@mycomforter.org