🎈(#20) Hustle Culture.

Read Time: 4 Minutes

Message from the author:

A massive week of change and growth for me. I will look to share some insights in the near future on my experiences and lessons that I have taken away from it.

It will be based around courage, embracing change and listening to your inner voice.

But for now - issue # 20. Hustle Culture, also known as Burnout Culture or Grind Culture has been popping up a bit lately.

In the past, I have been one to buy into this lifestyle and wanted to share my thoughts on it.

hope you enjoy!

I come from an era where the words hustle, and grind was worn like a badge of honor.

I used to listen to motivational speakers and get pumped by quotes like…

“I'll sleep when I'm dead” or “If you want to succeed, as bad as you want to breath, then you will be successful.”

Seems intense when I look back lol

The problem is….

How long can you keep it going before your body starts to shut down and you burnout?

Have you ever felt that feeling?

The one where it feels like you are sprinting a marathon, except, you don’t know where the finish line is.

This generation is claiming that Hustle Culture is dead.

Part of me agrees..

But the other part feels there is another way.

I have my thoughts on how to utilize the hustle grindset to your advantage.

Hustle with a purpose

In my opinion…

A bit of hustle is necessary.

The reason I am where I am at today and have achieved certain goals in my life, be it sports, family or career…

Is due to the effort I put in.

That mindset of pushing and challenging myself is something that I have prided myself on previously.

From my 20’s into early 30’s - I had the hustle mindset. During this time, I found the edge of my limits and now understand how long I can stay in the pressure or embrace the darkness when there was no light.

I think back and wonder…

If I did not do this, would I be here, in this position today?

Would I understand the limits of my mind and how far I could push my body?

Would I have the same amount of resilience, discipline and composure when times are tough?

To be honest… I don’t think I would.

When I think back, I do recall moments where I may have pushed too far. But life is also about learning from failure, isn’t it?

My concern then… particularly with canceling Hustle Culture all together, is that this next generation may not embrace the challenges of life and only expect the easy way.

I feel there is a third solution that will support both the hustle and the rest, the push and the pull, playing smart and playing hard.

Before we get into that - let’s explore what Hustle Culture is.

The good and the bad

What is Hustle Culture?

It refers to the mentality that one must grind all day, every day in pursuit of their goals. Some may say, even at the expense of their own self-care and family life.

Let’s go through the good & the bad.

Pros:

• Productivity. Encourages consistent output and goal driven work.

• Ambition. Fosters a mindset of pushing boundaries & setting high targets for yourself.

• Determination. Instills a strong work ethic & persistence.

• Opportunity. Due to the work ethic, it can create or increase career growth.

• Skill Development. Promotes continuous learning and skill enhancement.

• Financial Gain. Often linked to increase financial success & rewards.

• Innovation. Encourages creative problem-solving & innovation.

• Self-improvement. Pushes for personal development & self-motivation.

• Sense of Achievement. Results in a feeling of accomplishment & fulfillment.

Cons:

• Burnout. Overworking can lead to physical & mental exhaustion.

• Health Neglect. Neglect of physical and mental health due to excessive work. This could have long term effects on your health.

• Imbalance. Often sacrifices personal life & relationships for work.

• Stress. Can lead to heightened stress levels. The release of cortisol in your body if not addressed or managed, can cause health problems.

• Quality Compromise. Overworking, rushing and fatigue may lead to reduced quality of work/output.

• Social Isolation. Excessive focus on goals can lead to isolation from social circles.

• Unsustainable Pace. Can result in long-term unsustainable habits.

• Lack of Reflection. Little to no time for self-reflection or personal growth outside of the goals in front of you.

• Risk of Failure. Due to pushing too hard, once you have burnt yourself out, the result could be failure to achieve goals.

Everyone is unique in their own way and approach to what will work in a sustainable way.

There is a lot gained by challenging yourself and placing yourself out of your comfort zone.

But this should not be done at the expense of your own health and balance in life for the things that truly matter to you.

The third way

To keep it simple, it's about strategic balance.

Finding moments of hustle & challenge whilst planning time for your mental & physical well-being.

Most times you actually need to slow down to move forward over a long period of time.

It's an individual process and only you will know your limits, your values, your goals and your non-negotiables.

Take some time to write down or think through your lifestyle holistically.

1. Be clear on your ideal lifestyle & goals.

2. Understand what is required to achieve these goals.

3. Develop a time frame that is achievable which also includes rest, recharge and family time.

4. Be clear and strict on the values that align with your true self.

5. Create non-negotiables that keep you aligned to your system. Regardless of what comes at you, stay true to this. The temptation of certain opportunities can pull you towards it, your non-negotiable values that you set for yourself will allow you to say “No” guilt free.

Now ask yourself these two questions:

1. Does your system challenge or stretch you and allow moments where the hustle is required to meet the goals?

2. Does the system also ensure that you have balance to avoid or mitigate the risk of burnout and the “Cons” mentioned above?

If no - you may want to make some adjustments.

Think sustainability, can you keep this pace for long periods of time?

Final thoughts

In my opinion…

Hustle Culture is not dead.

Nor should it be cancelled.

I think the mindset needs to evolve now.

Individuals who have experienced the ups and the downs of the hustle should share their experiences and guide the next generation to not only embrace it, but to also embrace the balance of rest, recovery and recharging.

This issue had brought up a lot of self-reflection for me.

II have been the “hustle guy” in my training and career for good chunk of my life.

Nearing 40 and my focus is on balance and sustainability.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments or DM me on Instagram.

Have a great week fam!

JC