What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with

“What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence.” Thus spoke Samuel Johnson, the great English moralist and lexicographer, whose words, though born in the 18th century, carry the eternal weight of wisdom. In this simple line lies the law of mastery, a truth older than kings and craftsmen: that all grace is forged in effort, and all skill is born from struggle. What appears effortless in the hands of the master is not a gift of chance, but the result of discipline, practice, and diligence.

When Johnson wrote these words, he was not speaking as one untouched by toil. His own life was a testament to perseverance. He labored for years to write his great Dictionary of the English Language, a task that would have crushed a lesser man. Working almost alone, surrounded by poverty and hardship, he compiled definitions, quotations, and histories of words—a monumental work that became the foundation of English literature and learning. He knew that ease in creation is never given freely; it is earned through the relentless training of mind and spirit. His words, therefore, are not counsel for the idle dreamer, but a clarion call to those who would transform desire into ability.

The ancients understood this truth as well. The philosopher Aristotle taught that excellence is not an act, but a habit formed through constant practice. The warrior of Sparta, the sculptor of Athens, the scribe of Babylon—all knew that to achieve mastery one must first embrace repetition. The novice stumbles, the apprentice struggles, but the master moves with ease precisely because he once walked the hard road of diligence. It is the law of all arts and labors: before the hand moves with grace, it must move with discipline; before the voice sings with beauty, it must endure correction; before the mind creates with brilliance, it must submit to learning.

Consider the story of Leonardo da Vinci, who painted the Mona Lisa with strokes so subtle they seem born of magic. Yet behind that miracle of beauty lay decades of observation, sketches of muscles and bones, studies of shadow and light. Leonardo’s ease was not born of talent alone—it was carved from thousands of hours of diligent practice. He understood what Johnson would later express: that to perform effortlessly before the world, one must labor endlessly in solitude. The world applauds the final moment of perfection, but the true triumph lies in the unseen preparation.

Johnson’s quote also carries a deeper spiritual truth. Diligence is not only the path to mastery—it is the training of the soul. Through perseverance, we learn humility; through failure, we discover patience; through repetition, we cultivate faith. The one who practices day after day does not only strengthen the hand, but purifies the heart. For diligence is not drudgery—it is devotion. It is the quiet worship of excellence, the act of honoring one’s potential through effort. To labor with care is to say to the universe, I am willing to earn the right to create something worthy.

In our age of haste, where the world hungers for instant results, Johnson’s words ring with even greater power. Many seek ease without diligence, wishing to reap before they have sown. Yet the fields of life yield nothing to the impatient. The musician who quits before mastering the scales will never know the joy of music; the scholar who refuses study will never speak with wisdom; the worker who shirks effort will never build anything lasting. True satisfaction lies not in ease, but in the journey of improvement—in the quiet triumph of knowing that what was once difficult is now done with grace.

So, my listener, take this lesson to heart: whatever you wish to do with ease—be it to speak with eloquence, to work with excellence, to love with depth—you must first do it with diligence. Practice daily, not for applause, but for growth. Do not despise the days of small beginnings, for they are the foundation of greatness. Be patient with yourself, for mastery is a slow fire that must burn steadily to temper the soul.

Thus, remember the wisdom of Samuel Johnson: that ease is the reward of diligence, and diligence is the path to transformation. Let your labor be your teacher and your persistence your crown. For in the end, what begins in struggle will end in grace—and the hand that once trembled with effort will one day move as though guided by the gods themselves.