They say Mount Tae is high

They say Mount Tae is high, but it is just one hill under heaven. 

Climb and climb again, there is no reason it cannot be climbed. 

Only people do not climb, saying "Mount Tae is high." 

-Yang Saeon (양사언, 1517-1584)

Yang Saeon was a Choseon official, scholar, and poet.  This is one of my favorite poems because the message is so simple: just because something is difficult does not mean it is impossible.  Whether math, science, painting, exercise, or anything else, most great things in life just take time and effort.  Yet, for some reason we seem all too quick to pass excuses off as legitimate reasons for not accomplishing the things that would make our lives more fulfilling, robbing ourselves of meaningful achievements and experiences in exchange for a bit of momentary comfort.

So next time you find yourself thinking something like, 'I could never understand physics' or 'I'm just not good at sports' I hope you hear a voice inside you saying "They say Mount Tai is high..."

*Mount Tai (태산, 泰山, Taishan) is a mountain of great historical significance in China's Shandong province.  In Korean, it would be pronounced "Taesan".

Image: Path to a gate atop Mount Tai, by Charlie Fong