The author actually agrees with you to a certain extent: "Well, it is a big deal. And in spite of how effortless these accomplishments may appear, people work harder than you likely realize to make these things happen." He or she isn't denying that there's an element of self-discipline and pain in achieving your goals, actually the opposite.

I think the author is asking us to take a step back and really consider why we have these aspirations. Is it only for status? If so, we're already at a disadvantage because there are people out there who enjoy the grind for that goal more than us.

For me, the trick is finding the goal that has the highest ROI and the least grind/friction. There is always going to be a certain amount of pain and discomfort in pursuing any goal, but it doesn't hurt to try to minimize it.