[borski]

The thing that most people seem to be missing is PG isn’t advocating for working hard just to work hard. He’s advocating for working hard at things that you love, because then it doesn’t feel like work.

He is also glorifying anxiety, which is unfortunate, and I think this essay stands stronger without those particular points.

[greedo]

But "working hard at things that you love" isn't much of a challenge. Your motivation is already there, and your simply overcoming a lack of skills or knowledge.

What's difficult, and more common amongst mere mortals is twofold; trying to find motivation to overcome difficult things, and learning the skills and expertise to accomplish these things. Love for those things isn't really a factor.

Graham really is trying to simplify things a bit too much, and recycling the tropes of natural ability, practice and effort.

[borski]

It no feeling challenging doesn’t make the work itself any less hard; it just makes it more doable. That’s Paul’s point.

I agree with the rest of what you said, but it is orthogonal to the essay’s main point.