Jay was angry at his team, “I had asked for one simple thing. The whole month has passed, but they are yet to do it.” It was indeed a simple task, which funnily had been chosen by the team itself during a meeting. Yet, not one of them had done it.

This behavior, although perplexing, is not uncommon. Simple does not always translate into easy. We often use the two words interchangeably, but they can be poles apart. Just because something is simple, doesn’t mean it is easy to do.

All of us have experienced this. We know we must lose our excess weight. We also know the solution is to take a twenty-minute walk daily. Simple, right? But not so easy when it comes to actually doing it.

You were tired that evening, and shouted at your kid when he insisted that you play with him. You know you messed up and must apologize. It’s a simple thing to do. You say three words “I am sorry”, that’s it. But you still haven’t done it.

What makes simple things so difficult to do? There are as many answers as there are grains of sand on a beach. The reason is different for each of us, because it lies deep inside of us.

For some, the answer is in the past, a self-image that is hard to get rid of. I am overweight, it’s who I have always been. For others, the answer is in their deep-rooted needs. A father who yearns for respect is afraid of losing it by apologizing.

Sometimes, the reason is outside of us and we need the right lens to see it. It could be finding the right environment, or letting go of the wrong people. The list is endless, and one size does not fit all.

So, before you judge someone, give them the benefit of doubt. Before you curse yourself, ask what makes it difficult for you. Accepting that simple can be difficult is the first step towards making it easier.