By Johnny Black, Managing Partner
My wife and I are always a little behind on the latest hit series… well, Landman has certainly not disappointed. And while I have a wall of sticky notes dating back to 2016, I couldn’t help but share this recent one. As Erin and I have been plowing through the first season, this quote stood out when Tommy just casually dropped it:
“Shortcut is always the longest road.” -Tommy Norris, Landman.
At first, it sounds backward. A shortcut is supposed to save time. That’s the whole point.
But life has a way of exposing the truth in that sentence.
The shortcut is skipping practice because you’re “naturally talented.”
The shortcut is cutting corners on the foundation because no one will see it anyway.
The shortcut is telling a half-truth because it’s easier than the full conversation.
And every time, it feels efficient in the moment. You move faster. You get there sooner. You avoid discomfort.
Until you don’t.
Because what you avoided doesn’t disappear, it waits. The missed reps show up when the pressure is on. The weak foundation cracks when the weight increases. The half-truth grows into a full-blown problem that demands even more time to repair.
The long way, the disciplined way, rarely feels glamorous. It’s early mornings. Extra revisions. Hard conversations. Doing the right thing when no one is watching.
Tommy’s quote reminds us that speed without integrity is an illusion. When you try to outsmart the process, the process eventually outsmarts you. What looked like a shortcut becomes a detour filled with repairs, apologies, and second attempts.
The irony is simple:
The fastest way forward is usually straight through the work.
And that road, though longer at the start, is the only one that truly gets you there.
Did this quote resonate with you?
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