As we approach the new year, I want to touch on a topic that’s bothered me for a long time. That’s the topic of hustle culture.
Culture tells us that we need to hustle.
What is the idea behind hustle? Hustle culture tells us that we work constantly. We have to put our nose to the grindstone 24/7, or we won’t be successful.
Photo by Fernando Hernandez on Unsplash
Lots of thought leaders have told us to do this.
I’m telling you, it’s time to stop hustling.
The hustle culture is killing us. It’s hurting us more than we realize. And I have 5 ways that hustle culture is killing us.
5 Ways Hustle Culture Is Killing Us
1. Hustle culture doesn’t allow us to rest:
When the loud mouths behind hustle culture encourage us to continue pushing forward and to give 110%, it drives us to a place where rest is no longer important. Except rest is vitally important.
We cannot be on all of the time. We have to find time to rest.
If we don’t, we’ll wind up burned out (a great book on burning out). We become frustrated, angry, and bitter. That’s not the life I want to live. I doubt it’s the life you want to live, either.
2. Hustle culture encourages us to put aside meaningful relationships:
When you’re hustling, pursuing your dreams every day, all day, your relationships begin to suffer. I see it happen all too often in the personal development, leadership, and business world.
Recently, I heard of a former friend going through his second divorce in five years. He’s a hustler…
We also lose touch with our friends and loved ones. We can’t stop to spend time with those people. It’s going to take time away from our passions and work life.
Bull…
Step back. Stop the hustle. Spend time with your loved ones. Put a priority on your relationships.
3. Hustle culture makes us feel guilty:
The toxic hustle culture also increases our guilt. I got caught up in it years ago. I believed I had to be on all the time. There was no rest for the weary.
Whenever I’d stop to enjoy myself, I’d feel this immense amount of guilt. I could be productive. I could be adding value. This enjoyment thing is for the birds, I told myself.
Soon, I found myself in a dark place. I didn’t enjoy what I was doing. I had let it consume me. I wasn’t in a healthy place because I would feel guilty for enjoying movies, music, television, and music.
Break free from the hustle culture that says enjoying yourself is bad. You can enjoy yourself, but you have to set boundaries.
4. Hustle culture destroys our boundaries:
Boundaries… A word I loathe but also understand is a necessity. Boundaries give us guidelines and help us to know when we’re out of balance.
Hustle culture tells us to destroy our healthy boundaries and set up new, dangerous boundaries.
Hustle culture tells us that working hard 10, 12, or even 14 hours a day is a good thing. The culture is all about getting things done in an unhealthy manner.
Don’t let hustle culture setup dangerous boundaries. Don’t let it destroy your healthy boundaries.
5. Hustle culture doesn’t give us what we desire:
We’ve been fed lies when it comes to hustle culture. We’re told that if we hustle hard enough, all of our dreams will come true. We’ll become successful, have enough, and live a great life.
Looking at the lives of many of the hustlers that have promoted the lifestyle, I see anything but joy, happiness, and full life. I see people who have dug in so deep that they’re miserable.
Hustling won’t give you what you desire. It may give you a false sense of what you want, but it will soon fade away.
Be careful of chasing the hustle because you think it’ll give you what you want. It’ll often take what truly matters and leave you with empty hands (or homes).
There’s Something Better
There’s something better than hustle culture. I believe we could call it balanced culture.
This culture is one that values your whole self. It tells you that hard work is great, but so are rest, relationships, and all the other messy parts of life.
Don’t hustle yourself into an early grave, empty house, or despair.
Set the proper boundaries around your work. Allow yourself time to rest and recover. Be there for your friends and family.
Only by setting boundaries and pushing aside the idea that you have to hustle, hustle, hustle will you begin to realize you have more than you thought.
Don’t let 2023 be another year of constant hustle without taking care of yourself and others. You don’t need to hustle all of the time.
