“The world belongs to those who hustle” is the mantra of our day.
Rush, push, work harder.
Persist, fight, and claw to the top.
If you work hard and hustle more, you can own the world.
Our media is full of advice encouraging us to hustle, hustle, and hustle some more.
Here are just a few titles ripped from recent headlines:
- 3 Steps to ‘Hustling’ for Success (Time Magazine)
- Hustle as Strategy (Harvard Business Review)
- 10 Habits Of Highly Successful Hustlers (LifeHack)
- The 6 Best Ways to become Rich (Yahoo!)
We post hustle quotes as inspiration on our social media feeds and posters in our workplaces. The Internet boasts thousands of them:
- Hustle until your haters ask if you’re hiring.
- Good things happen to those who hustle.
- Hustle like you’re broke and keep that passion.
- Hustle until you no longer need to introduce yourself.
- Don’t stay in bed unless you can make money in bed.
You can even buy a “Hu$tle t-shirt” if you want.
I don’t disagree with the adage. No doubt, those who hustle will end up owning the world.
I’m just not sure the world is what I most want to own.
What does it benefit a person to gain the entire world, but lose themselves along the way?
Some of the greatest blessings in life cannot be experienced if our lives are constantly filled with hustle chasing after the world.
In fact, many of the most important pursuits of our lives require us to stop “hustling.” They require quiet, peace, solitude, even rest.
Becoming the best version of ourselves will always require less hustle. The pathway to bettering ourselves and our souls requires meditation, solitude, and drawing away from the world around us.
Becoming a present and intentional parent (and/or spouse) requires less hustle. The requirements are listening ears, quality time, and focused attention.
Becoming a selfless and giving difference-maker in your community requires empathy, compassion, attentive eyes, and frequent conversation.
Even becoming a leader worthy of admiration requires patience, thoughtfulness, and willingness to serve.
I encourage you to work hard. We should all be using our talents and gifts to make a difference in the world.
But for those who are tempted to lose their soul through hustle in a relentless desire to gain the world, you are making an unwise trade.
There is great reward to be found in more stillness… and less hustle.
Amen and thank you for the confirmation!
Oh, sometimes when I read your emails tears of joy flow down my cheeks because at least someone in the world thinks like me, am not so awkward after all, subhanallah is all i say being muslim. These are prophetic teachings, these words should be written in gold and taught to our kids. Thank you for blessing our days with your warm words. I don’t need the world, i need the hereafter. The world is but a means.
I have the exact sentiments and I’m trying to get others to think the same by promoting awareness and inviting to Islam constantly.
What’s interesting is that I have found that I am more successful and more effective in my career (I am a special education team lead) when I slow down and prioritize self-care. I leave work at 4:00 everyday and go to yoga class every evening. This has made me a much more level-headed leader and has helped me to go much further in my career that I did when I was “hustling” back in my 20’s.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s taken me many many years to figure this out ?
Thank you for this inspiring and important message. One can get absorbed in the hustle so quickly. So important to be reminded that there is more to life than running from pillar to post.
Tanja — so necessary here, and hard to do but I try to eat less unhealthy food and manage my budget regularly. This is how I learned about my expenses and therefore to live slowly. It is so easy to get absorbed so quickly, in fact, the flow and fast pace in a consumerism world makes it so complicated../…
After getting absorbed by a cleverly written hustle blog yesterday, I wrote my own ideas of what a successful me might look like and it echoes a lot of what you put in this post: integrity, spiritual wisdom that aids real life, compassion and presence for self and others.
Thanks for the confirmation that THIS is the right place for me ?
I am not seeking the world. Only peace and joy.
Thank you so much for this precious insights. It makes me think about my life priorities.
Thanks for this post. Many thanks!!
It went straight to my soul my friend.
Thanks. many thanks!!