Legendary American operatic soprano Beverly Sills once said, «There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.»

As someone who rose to the top of her profession, she knew firsthand what it took to be her very best.

Some of the greatest athletes of our time— Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and the late Kobe Bryant — all had reputations of being the first ones to get to the gym and the last ones to leave. They never took the easy way out and their careers are testaments to their commitment to not taking any shortcuts.

No matter what we do in life, whether it is studying in school to obtain a degree, taking steps to improve our health through diet and exercise, or completing a home remodeling project, to get the very best results requires that we put in the effort required to accomplish our goals.

If we want to build a financially secure future, it requires thoughtful planning, sacrifice, and time. A solid plan includes components such as regular deposits to an IRA or 401K, drafting a will, making memorial plans, and obtaining life insurance.

Sometimes, though, taking a shortcut looks too good to pass up. Perhaps you can relate to lifting a heavy load by yourself to save time, rather than asking for help, and throwing out your back in the process. Or perhaps you lost some money by investing in something that ended up being a get rich quick scheme.  The old adage still stands: if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

Even during our grief, the temptation is to find a way out of our pain and misery as fast as we can. The reality is there are no shortcuts in grief. It requires time, energy, and will take us on a long road of twists, turns, ups, and downs. It may feel like the path will never end. Over time, you will heal and learn to adapt.

The long road may not look like the best route on the journey, but it overwhelmingly is always the best road.