Why I Don't Believe in Hustle Culture (And What I Do Instead)
Hustle culture sells the idea that more effort equals more success. But for creative entrepreneurs, the opposite is often true.
I used to wake up at 5 a.m., answer emails before breakfast, and work until my eyes blurred. I thought that's what it meant to be serious about my business. Instead, I ended up with a chronic shoulder injury and a growing resentment for the work I once loved.
Hustle culture sells a simple equation: more hours = more success. But creative work doesn't follow that math. A logo you design in a state of flow is often better than one you force out after four cups of coffee. A strategy you arrive at during a walk beats anything you'd generate in a seventh consecutive meeting.
What I practice now—and what I teach my clients—is something I call "aligned effort." It means doing the right work at the right time, in the right amount. It means protecting your energy as fiercely as you protect your revenue. It means trusting that rest isn't a reward for productivity; it's a precondition for it.