We have embraced hustle culture since the 2008 recession. As many people suffered job loss as a result, the culture of creating a side business in order to achieve success in a tough economic climate became fashionable. But many years on, is hustling a redundant idea that can be blamed for burn-out? Step away from hustle culture & embrace your own authentic voice.
To Hustle Or Not To Hustle?
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘hustle’? Do you see someone who is working all the hours in order to achieve their goal? Personally, I see someone who is successful, perhaps they have a day job, and their ‘side-hustle’ on top of that is their passion project. All their extra hours go into this side hustle in order to make it their forever job and towards financial independence. But in the meantime before they can get their dream career – they need to slog, grind, push until that becomes reality.
I’ve been working for myself for around ten years and it doesn’t get any easier. Don’t get me wrong, some things are easier than others. But self doubt, comparison, and fear of failure still remain…maybe not in the extreme ways that they once did – but they’re there. Like your grumpy uncle at Christmas dinner – you don’t particularly like the experience, but you’ve no choice but to accept it.
Also known as burnout culture and grind culture, hustle culture refers to the mentality that one must work all day every day in pursuit of their professional goals.
Fashion Of Hustle Culture
I used to listen to podcasts on marketing – getting more business, more followers, more endless streams of income. I thought it would be available to me if I pushed, if I pushed really hard. I consumed these particular podcasts as if they were chocolate, relishing how they pushed me. But in the end, I couldn’t reach those goals.
I was stuck comparing myself to the energetic, motivated hustlers that I couldn’t even get on the same level as. And the fact that I didn’t feel enough – I wasn’t making enough money, not undertaking enough projects. Hustling meant pushing, and eventually I just didn’t see the appeal with pushing. Pushing became exhausting. So I ditched those podcasts. They had served their purpose in some ways…but I was not a hustler, and maybe you aren’t too?
And that’s OK.
I’m Guilty Of The Labels Too
I have used the word ‘side hustle’ many times, as there’s not many ways to describe it. Side project / creative project / side business / – something that makes you feel good, gives you joy, makes you tap into that special zen place that is yours and only yours.
But you don’t need to be constantly pushing to be the biggest in your field – or the most famous or to be a multi million business. It could be just that you love doing what you do and you are making money doing what you do and you feel content with that?
A lot is put on careers these days, but it’s an aspect of your life. How do you want to live?
Embracing your own creative voice
Are you feeling pulled in many directions? You may have felt comfortable in the path you were on but now starting to hesitate on whether you need to do more.
Here’s a secret…you will ALWAYS need to do more. If you listen to others, they will be more than happy to tell you what you should be doing. There’s not enough hours in the day and endless jobs to do – especially if you run your creative side business by yourself. That’s not including what’s going on in your life other than work.
Step away from hustle culture & embrace your own authentic voice
Here are some thoughts.
What area of your business do you enjoy the most?
For me, it’s writing my blog and writing the first draft of a novel. I love the creative process of coming up with ideas and putting them into motion. I love the freedom I feel putting down my own words without anyone else’s input.
What area of your business do you enjoy the least?
For me, it’s editing. Going over what I wrote and tidying it up. Edits can be long and very tedious.
So what can you do with this information once you see what you like and what you don’t like?
For me, I have help to edit my books. But I see I need to get a professional editor to really help me out – which means money. But money well spent, surely? Because I won’t need to edit my books nearly as much as I currently do…which means I will have more time to write more fiction books as well as my blog.
To me, hustle culture means striving for more. Working into the early hours, waking up early, making so much money and yet being an amazing mother who is present with her child…
I see hustle culture is too manic with unrealistic expectations. I feel my worth is intertwined with my work, which I fight with everyday. I need to remind myself constantly that it is something I do, a passion – but it does not define me. So taking a step back from the hustle and assess what I want from my work is more worthwhile than getting caught up in that hectic pace, striving for more when I haven’t really acknowledged what I want from my career and life.
What would be the biggest regret for you?
For me I don’t want to be a mum who is not fully present at home – being distracted and working all the time. I believe home should be a nurturing, calm environment which I want to create and keep as best as I can…which is not easy to do – I’m human and get stressed and lost in my own head at times.
I also want to keep my ambition, follow my interests, projects, my own curiosities that make me thrive outside my parenting.
That’s what matters to me. How about you?
These questions will hopefully unearth what you want from life. Maybe you want to have a side hustle and get to the top of your game, or you’re like me and want your own pace of life – but to affect others positively.
Sending you love and a bright torch to light your path ahead.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
Have you experienced hustle culture? Do you embrace it or reject it?
If you enjoyed this, have a look at my previous posts such as – Don’t wait for your passion to grow – just pick something now!
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