Just because a job is difficult doesn’t mean it's valuable. Valuable work also doesn't have to be difficult.
Value & difficulty are separate things.
- Freelancers and consultants often discover that their best-paying gigs are the ones that are simple & repeatable to implement
- Corporate workers often find that they’re promoted through the ranks when they focus on the straightforward wins that are easy to explain to executives
- At startups, engineers grow fastest when they simplify problems, build minimum viable products, and deliver business results for the company
All of these examples have something in common. They actually create more value for the company/team when they make the project less complex.
There’s a strong desire, especially among engineers, to make things more complex. The idea seems to be that the more time you spend on a project, the more valuable it will be to the end user.
The opposite is usually true.
In fact, complexity and value are often inversely correlated. The things that are fun and easy for you might produce a great amount of value in a short amount of time.
You’ll find greater satisfaction and purpose in your work as you strive toward simple solutions.