Rethinking ‘easy’

The second Friday in January is Quitters Day, according to Strava. The day people are most likely to give up on their new year resolutions.

How can you quit being a quitter? Well, according to the mantra it is to make our resolutions or goals 'easy'. But what does ‘easy’ actually mean? And will an ‘easy’ goal actually result in real change?

At first, making something ‘easy’ seems obvious – reduce friction and simplify the process. This is part of the answer, but it’s far from the whole picture. The truth is, we find it hard to make things easy because ‘easy’ isn’t as simple as it sounds.

At its core, ‘easy’ isn’t just about reducing steps or obvious effort, it’s about how we, as humans, experience ease.

Familiarity makes things feel achievable, so repeating a small action until it becomes second nature means that change will become a permanent thing we do.

Energy plays a role too. When we’re tired, even the easiest task can feel monumental. Mood and pressure also shape our perception of effort. A positive mindset lightens the load, while stress or time constraints magnify it.

The key to all the above is to reframe how we think about ease. To truly make habits stick, we need to consider the human components: familiarity, energy, mood, and motivation. This is the same for our work life as it is for our personal life. It’s not just about simplifying the steps but creating the right conditions – both physical and emotional – that make progress feel natural.

How can you make things ‘easy’ for your customers?

You need to start by understanding it at a fundamental human perspective, before then applying this to the customer context and need.​

By doing this, you ensure that you develop the most stretching and impactful ideas possible, thinking broadly and deeply about how to meaningfully improve what you do for customers​.

At The Foundation, we believe the most meaningful progress comes from seeing the world from the outside-in, looking more broadly and deeper. By understanding what ‘easy’ truly means for ourselves, we can build habits that last, not because they’re frictionless, but because they feel right.

Talk to us about how we can make life easy for your customers.