I’m so sick of hearing this. Let’s do something about it.

Oh hey,

You know when you’re scrolling Instagram, minding your business, and suddenly a VERY SHOUTY PERSON comes onto your screen and assaults your ears with things like:

“Go hard or go home!”

“No matter how hard you go, you can always go harder!”

“Do whatever it takes to make it to the top!”

Ugh.

Society teaches us that we should aim for success markers like working excruciatingly long hours, sacrificing sleep, and missing important family moments so we can crush our goals.

Hustle culture traps us in some off-brand version of the Hunger Games.

And it is sneaky.

First, just like any predator, hustle culture lures you in with pictures of perfectly curated workspaces, usually with a lot of soothing pink tones and motivational prints that cheer you on: “go girl boss!”

Suddenly, you start to believe that working sixteen hours a day, seven days a week, is a badge of honor. Even worse, you can get swept into the adrenaline rush of “hustling” and “grinding” – and completely lose sight of why you’re working so damn hard in the first place.

Hustle culture is problematic and harmful.

Studies show that trudging away at your laptop for long hours is detrimental to your productivity and creativity. It robs you of your freedom, your sleep, and your health.

So what’s the alternative?

Now, I know you have big goals. I have big goals, too – like owning a small town in coastal Maine and living in a Hallmark movie 24/7.

But that doesn’t mean I need to tell Scott Hyatt to take a hike, ignore my kids, and let Mork the beagle cook his own damn homemade food to make my coastal, small-town Hallmark dreams happen.

To achieve my goals, I’m not “going hard” – I’m going SMART.

I take meaningful, intentional, and inspired action towards my goals while having plenty of time to make my sweet little Mork his food.

Here’s a simple exercise I do with all of my clients and students that requires no sweat equity or lost sleep.

I want you to fill in the blank:

I’m not going hard. I’m ___________

Here are some ideas:

I’m not going hard. I’m normalizing a healthy flow of work and play.

I’m not going hard. I’m working towards my dreams without working myself into an early grave.

I’m not going hard. I’m following my heart and realize that my worth isn’t completely knotted up in my work.

Now it’s your turn to create your own statement that honors your goals and what you want out of life.

Scribble out your anti-hustle mantra and share it in our GO TIME Facebook Group!

P.S. Do you want to get paid to change lives? If you answered ‘YES!’ visit the University for Life Coach Training’s website today! Learn how you can study online to become a Certified Life Coach in six months.