What a talking horse taught me about life

One of my favorite shows, Bojack Horseman, released it’s final half season last night at midnight. Which means that in addition to a ton of writing and content creation I have planned for this weekend, Yours Cartoony will be relaxing in the evenings with a piping cup o’ green tea and imbibing the sure to be good end of the series. 

If you’ve never seen it, it’s one of those shows that on the surface seems completely silly and ridiculous. In fact, it’s not until season 2 or 3 that it really starts becoming deep with lots of thematic overtones and storytelling “between the lines” (English major / Literature nerd here). 

For context:

The main character is a depressed, alcoholic horse who’s still famous from a “Full House”-like show he was on in the 90’s. Other characters are an overeager Yellow Lab named Mister Peanut Butter, a workaholic Cat named Princess Caroline, and three kids in a trench coat named Vincent Adultman (told you it was silly). 

One of the reasons I like the show so much is because all this silliness becomes the perfect ‘mirror’ to hold up to living in modern American culture. It actually nails some of the grittier parts of modern human experience better than any show I’ve seen (probably because it doesn’t take itself too seriously).

It comments on drug abuse, gender relations, celebrity-obsessed culture, whether or not people can change, and more.

In one scene, a season finale if I remember correctly, Bojack is trying to get his life back in order. One of the ways he’s doing that is to get in shape. So he starts running up this hill in front of his house.

He barely makes it up the hill when he collapses breathless. 

But this is where the shows silliness becomes a bit profound. You see, all season long there’s been shots of a monkey running up that same hill. And as Bojack is laying there on the asphault, the monkey peeks his head over and says:

“It gets easier. Every day it gets a little easier. But you gotta do it every day. That’s the hard part…. But it does get easier.”

And to me, that’s the only philosophy you need. That any time you try to make a change, or invest in good habits, or learn a skill, or do anything challenging the hard part is simply getting up and doing it. 

And when you get up and do it, even if you don’t make it to the top of the hill, as long as you have a predetermined goal and are working towards it… that makes you a success in my book, my friend. 

So whatever your goal is right now, whether it’s to grow your business, improve your relationships, save money, buy a house, or just start writing emails to your list... know it gets easier. Every day it gets a little easier. But you gotta do it every day. That’s the hard part. 

But it does get easier. 

And if your goal is to learn how to write emails your list loves to read and buy from, my book can show you how. You can get a free copy here:

www.copybymccune.com

Tyler McCune

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