We all love a good shortcut. A quicker way to get something done, a tool that makes our life easier, or a process that promises to save time and energy — sign me up, right?
But lately, I’ve been thinking about the fine line between being lazy and being resourceful. Because they can look quite similar from the outside — both involve finding the easiest way to get something done — but the intention and outcome are often worlds apart.
Lazy vs. Resourceful
Being resourceful, to me, means knowing where to look for help. It’s asking the right people, leaning on your community, and using the tools available to you – not to skip the work, but to make the work more meaningful (and a bit more efficient).
Being lazy, on the other hand, is outsourcing the thinking altogether. It’s looking for a magic fix that replaces understanding, creativity, or ownership. And that’s where shortcuts can start to hurt rather than help.
The myth of the “quick fix”
There’s this idea floating around that successful people have cracked the code, that they’ve found the one shortcut that gets them from A to B in record time. But most of the time, that’s not how it works.
Yes, using templates, automations, or AI tools can save hours – but only if you actually understand what they’re doing for you. Otherwise, you’re just layering quick fixes on top of each other without building a foundation.
And when something inevitably breaks (because it always does), you’ll have no idea where to start fixing it.
My Notion “shortcut” that wasn’t
A good example from my own business is Notion. I started using it because I wanted to make my workflow smoother – track leads, plan content, manage projects. I thought it would be a quick way to stay more organised.
But instead of a shortcut, it turned into a deep dive. I spent hours (okay, days/weeks/months) experimenting, building, breaking, and rebuilding templates. I got a bit obsessed, to be honest.
And while it started as a time-saving hack, it actually became its own strand of my business – I now sell Notion templates and use them daily to run my photography work. That wasn’t the plan but here we are…
So yes, I took a “shortcut” (or so I thought)… but it wasn’t really one. I learned the system inside out, which now allows me to be more efficient and help others do the same. It was resourcefulness that came with a lot of trial and error.
👉🏻 Here’s an article about how I use Notion to organise my business
When shortcuts keep us stuck
The danger of relying too heavily on shortcuts is that they can make us feel productive without actually doing the deeper work.
For example: Using ChatGPT to write a presentation for you. It might sound polished and professional, but if you didn’t write it yourself, you’ll have no real connection to the content. You’ll end up presenting words you don’t fully own – and people can feel that.
It’s the same in business. You can copy someone else’s launch strategy, pricing structure, or social media plan but if you don’t understand why it works for them, it might never feel right for you.
Sometimes, you have to take the long road first. Make the mistakes, try different things, learn what doesn’t fit, before you’re ready for the shortcuts to actually work.
The right kind of shortcut in business
Shortcuts are wonderful when they come from a place of understanding. When you’ve done the work, tested the process, and then find ways to simplify it – that’s gold.
It’s like building your own map before using the GPS. You know where you’re going, but now you’ve got something to help you get there faster and with less stress.
That’s how I see tools, templates, and community support. They’re not cheats; they’re accelerators. They help us move more confidently because we already know what’s behind the process.
Community is the best shortcut
If there’s one kind of shortcut I’ll always advocate for, it’s people.
Having a network, asking for help, learning from others who’ve done it before – that’s the kind of shortcut that expands your understanding rather than replacing it.
Some of the best ideas and business breakthroughs come from conversations, not Google searches. Collaboration is how we move faster and deeper at the same time.
👉🏻 Here’s an article about my helpers in business
The sweet spot
So maybe it’s not about whether shortcuts are good or bad – it’s about how and when we use them.
If a shortcut helps you get back to the work that actually matters, brilliant. If it helps you understand your business better or frees up time for creativity, even better.
But if it distances you from your own ideas, voice, or values… that’s when it’s worth slowing down. Because sometimes, the long way around is how you build something that’s truly yours.
What to do next? Well, you could download my free AI prompt to help you gain clarity for your brand and use this shortcut to get clearer on your offer and brand personality. It won’t do all the work for but hopefully spark ideas you didn’t expect.
Leave your details below to try it ⬇️
