I used to LOVE the idea of the “hustle”, “grinding” and all of those other terms that felt empowering, until I realized my idea of them was driving me to work more but not smarter. The underlying idea of the hustle is that you’re working a ton, and doesn’t hustle in itself sound kind of snake oily? I’m all about pursing your dreams and making an honest living doing the things you really love, but hustle and grinding is not in my dictionary.
You Don’t Want To Hustle Or Grind
It took me a while to realize that the majority of people online that were talking about the hustle and grind were either trying to tell themselves that they were hustling like no other and one day they’d rake in all that cash. Or they’re trying to sell some sort of lifestyle, their lifestyle, that they got by hustling their way around the side hustle market.
But the truth is, you don’t want to hustle or grind. It’s gruelling, disheartening and it’ll squeeze all of the fun out of your dream job.
When you get caught up with the idea of the hustle and the grind, you forget that you’re trying to truly build a business. You encourage yourself to do anything and everything to get there. And, I can tell you from experience, that you’ll end up tired, frustrated wondering what you’re doing.
Instead Of Hustling, Work Smarter
Instead of running with the hustle and the grind, your goal should really be to work as smart as possible. Instead of running yourself down by working from 10 am to 3 am (seriously, I’ve been there), you want to set up systems and processes that will help you get done faster.
The real goal of working for yourself and growing something on your own isn’t that you work harder or longer than anyone else (unless that’s what you want…) but the fact that you have the freedom to pursue what you want to be doing. If anything you should be aiming to work less so you have more time for yourself.
Focus less on the amount of time that you work (though I 100% encourage you to clock your time because it can help you figure out where you need to become more efficient) and more on what you’re doing and how far it’s going. Work smarter, not harder or longer.
At the end of the day, you should adhere to that age-old saying: work to live not live to work. I’m a workaholic like the best of them, but you really need to be working for more than just simply working.
Looking For More Insights?
- How Can An Unemployment Claim Be Denied?
- The 6 Steps in the Financial Planning Process
- 10 Of My Favorite Ways to Make a Little Extra Cash
Tae started out as a journalist before following the money into the corporate world. But it turns out that the grass isn’t always greener and now you can find her spending most of her time writing about all the things she loves. Namely, money, travel and business with a hefty dose of self-deprecating humor. She is a podcast fanatic, blogging aficionado and loves to find new ways to turn passions into cold hard cash!