It’s a simple equation.

People pay for what they can’t or don’t want to do for themselves. If it’s easy to do, people don’t put much value on it and are unlikely to pay for it. People will pay for products, services and experiences they can’t possibly create themselves.

Ultimately, the goal of any business should be to seek out the hardest things to do for their industry. How can you do something that none of your competitors are capable or willing to do? How can you offer something that goes way beyond your target’s wildest expectations?

Doing what’s hard isn’t about being a little cheaper, lasting a little longer, offering just a little more than everyone else. It’s too easy for competitors to match you. You need to do things that are truly audaciously difficult. Things that other companies are afraid to even try.

Now, that’s not to say that people value everything that’s hard. It’s extremely difficult to build a 10-bedroom house suspended in the trees. But not too many people would have any desire to live in one.

You still have to listen to your target audience. What are the things they value? What are the problems they need solved? But you should also ask yourself, “how hard is this to duplicate?” Is there an easier way to get the same result at an acceptable level? If there is, then keep searching until you find something that’s truly hard and that people would love if someone provided it.

While consumers are constantly looking for ways to make their lives easier, it’s imperative for businesses to continuously look for more ways to do what is hard.