Usually, when effort increases, reward increases. Following the easy path is less likely to be rewarding (financially or otherwise). Because if it is easy then everyone would do it. And if everyone does it, it is less likely to be valued
Think back to economics class with supply and demand…the greater the supply (or the more people who have the ability to do something and want to do it), the less the demand and the less valuable that resource/task becomes.
If you do hard things or solve difficult problems that others won’t or can’t do, you’re more likely to be rewarded.