Refer to my 'thinking about thinking' post.
It is true that the difficulty may be lost by those who choose the easy way.
If you push yourself to attempt the most difficult things you may also fail.
One requires persistence but when it comes to immediate gratification, there is no time.
No time to wait. No time to take. No pause or delay. Everything is now now now.
And an answer in an instant is convenient. Understanding however takes more time.
As John G Miller wrote;
"You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can."
If you think you can do better, push yourself a little harder.
You might be surprised what you are capable of.
The story about your aunt reminds me of my great grandmother.
She always had great advice.