So this opinion might be considered a bit controversial because “hustle” has become very divisive in the online business world.
I mean, who among us hasn’t considered what it means to hustle?
Maybe your business even started as (or still is) a “side hustle.”
And when we first heard the term “hustle,” it was meant as a good thing. If you were hustling, people assumed you were making things happen. Some people even said you couldn’t succeed if you didn’t hustle.
Coaches and gurus alike shouted that you had to “HUSTLE HARD” to get anywhere.
Then the anti-hustlers came out in full force.
“Hustle culture is toxic!” They told us.
Suddenly, hustling meant you were feeding into your need to be busy but not necessarily productive.
“You’re on a collision course with burnout! And you need to cut that out right now!”
WHEW. Exhausting, amiright?
But even with all these back-and-forth should-I-or-shouldn’t-I hustle messages flying at us from every angle, I still believe hustle has a necessary place in business.
What it means to hustle
I’m sure the term means different things to different people, but to me, hustling is about making a commitment to success.
Having a hustle mentality is learning new skills. It’s about being ambitious and taking risks through innovation and experimentation.
It’s about setting yourself high growth goals and breaking down the barriers that are holding you back.
In short, to hustle means to go after your full potential.
That said, you still need to give yourself breathing room–time and space–to reach your goals.
You shouldn’t have to sacrifice your mental health or personal ambitions for the sake of the hustle.
Work-life integration practices like:
-Setting clear boundaries,
-Creating a schedule that respects your work and personal activities,
-Delegating tasks and seeking help when you need it,
-Using technology to streamline your process and stay connected, and
-Practicing mindful scheduling,
Still need to be a focal point of any successful entrepreneur.
Even–or maybe especially–for those of us with a hustle mentality.
How to balance hustle with health
Hustle really comes down to being just another business tool to be used within reason.
With a solid work ethic and a conscious effort, you can put in the hours to build a successful business as long as you have a:
Sense of Purpose
It would be all too easy to get caught up in the relentless pursuit of success and forget to take care of yourself.
That’s where a strong sense of purpose comes in–to provide direction, guidance, and motivation so you can understand how your choices fit into the bigger picture instead of getting so lost in the details, you forget there is a bigger picture.
Strategic Plan
Hustling without a plan is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks.
To avoid getting caught up in the busy but not productive trap that hustle culture sometimes represents, make sure you have a plan that includes:
- Your vision,
- Analytics,
- Goals and objectives,
- Implementation and management protocols,
- And a system for tracking and re-evaluation.
Reliable Community
Growth doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
You need feedback and support to reach your goals, which is where a reliable community comes in.
Your audience, mastermind participants, biz besties, and whoever else makes up your business support system play an integral role in propelling you toward success.
Hustling for success in business
Having a hustle mentality is really just about making a commitment to success and striving for your full potential.
And I think that as long as you do it with intention and awareness, leveraging this mental approach can give you a powerful advantage when it comes to reaching your goals without sacrificing your well-being.
By cultivating a sense of purpose, creating an effective strategic plan, and building up reliable support systems within your community, it doesn’t matter what the pro or anti-hustlers say.
Only you can decide how much hustle is too much because it does have its place in business, one way or another.
Cheering you on!
Template Shop
