When I was in my early 20’s, I hustled my ass off. I worked 2 jobs and a side hustle. I drank 8 cups of coffee a day and popped No Doz pills to work at night.
And then I burned the fuck out. And crashed hard.
And it wasn’t worth it.
There’s a lot of folks who will tell you: “grind to the point of exhaustion. Chase wealth and rest later. Make work your only religion.”
That advice is poison. It will leave you broken and hurt and tired and alone.
It wasn’t easy to rebuild my life after that breakdown.
Years later - I don’t own a house. I’m not wealthy. By the standards of the Hustle Bros and Growth Hackers, I’d be called a failure.
But I do what I love, I’m passionate about my writing, and I have a partner and a kid who I adore. None of that came from sacrificing myself on the altar of the grind.
@Daojoan The saddest part is that the ‘hustle’ advice is touted as the way of success, but that one person was just lucky so it’s not even the reason for their success.
The everyday people touting ‘hustle hard’ are looking for a reason to excuse their behaviour. It also allows reclassification of stunk cost as personal investment.
The only sure fire way to get richer is to start rich as the more wealthy you are the easier it is.
Whatever you measure yourself by, you will be limited to. So don’t make it money. Make it love, kindness and joy.
You are. You are more successful now then ever.
JA Westenberg
The Animal and the Machine