"Hustle Like No One Is Awake"

The quotes above meet the definition of how "hustle" was taught to me. The first time I heard the world “hustle” I was on a volleyball court. I was being motivated and applauded for hustling across the gym floor. To hustle- to do more or to work harder. In the world of academia, which I have spent 16 years in, I was also applauded for this hustle work ethic. I was commended for putting in long hours of studying, for choosing to place academics first, for working the extra hours and for going above and beyond. We are taught this hustle mindset, and this has not only led us to believe that hustling is good, but is the thing that confirms you are doing enough.

My co-worker and I were recently discussing how this work ethic is derived from what we are taught in school and how unsustainable it is in real life. She told me that it’s like we are craving some validation that can fulfill the sense of accomplishment that an A+ offers you. I work in a medical school now and I have a partner who is in law school and I see this mentality not only encouraged but taught and forcibly perpetuated as the only way to succeed. There is a very real flaw in this notion of hustle. It leaves a lack of room for balance and alignment with every other piece of one’s life.

It is not wrong to hustle. Hustling or working hard are amazing skill sets that do create opportunities and it is important to strive for your goals. But when hustling becomes an obsessive approach to do everything right, to impress, to embody an unachievable and inhuman reality- it’s harmful. I find myself at work seeking that “A+ validation” and when I am not given it, I do find myself lacking in feeling a sense of full accomplishment. It is not a constant feeling, but I have been taught to crave that form of validation. I have internalized the notion that I won’t receive that high validation if I don’t do more than what is expected of me. This mindset carries. It carries into the hours we spend on our e-mails when we are off the clock, it carries into the moments that we belittle ourselves for not being better than most, and it carries into moments of harsh and baseless self-criticism. It can even carry into the expectations that we hold for experiences, for our partners, our parents, maybe even our kids.

That hustle mindset requires a balancing force. You do not need to be overworked, tired, emotional, or physically drained to be considered successful. You do not need to find yourself without a breath or feeling constantly isolated to be successful. You do need to have balance in order to be successful. You need to have moments to find peace, to laugh, to interact with other people, to explore, and to be imaginative in order to be successful. And let’s be clear that being successful is not the end all be all- I would say that happiness should be a much higher priority.

No one is that perfect person. You will never be able reach these immaculate and unrealistic goals of a successful person who never quits day in and day out without also being completely burnt out. Allow yourself to be human. Allow yourself the right to be well-rounded, balanced, and happy. Your success is not derivative of you derailing your own well-being. I challenge you all, as I challenge myself, to find a semblance of peace, silliness, and alignment bit by bit and then more and more as each day passes.