“Hustle Culture” has become another toxic label to add to the rotting pile but that’s only because you’re misunderstanding the concept. Today we chat about abundance mindsets, showing up, and the true meaning of hustle.
I had an interesting exchange with my financial advisor last month. We were talking about monthly contributions for a new life insurance policy and she was asking me standard questions such as whether would I be comfortable with this amount, in case I lost my job or for some reason couldn’t pay that month?
In my head, I was thinking: what a strange question.
My response was: “that’s fine because if I need more money, I’m just going to find a way to make more money.”
Coming from a poor middle-class family, I didn’t always think like this. It took me a long time to upgrade my mind to one of abundance rather than scarcity.
I have been thinking a lot about “hustling” lately and this made me realize that ever since I left a lucrative decade-long career and video games at 28, the most important skill I have learned since then is HOW TO HUSTLE.
What It Means To Hustle
Hustling means showing up and doing meaningful work. We don’t wait for opportunities, we create our own opportunities. Work hard and work smart relentlessly in the face of discomfort with a sense of urgency because failure is simply not an option. Hustling means doing more than expected and doing things other people won’t do because we don’t conform to mediocrity.
Why We Should All Learn To Hustle
The illusions of security in the 9-5 are keeping you from your true potential. It keeps you safe. Then you become complacent. You get comfortable. You stop striving for more.
You come up with excuses, perhaps telling yourself you are happy when you’re not, keeping you where you are.
This goes against the fundamentals of evolution and is the reason why society is plagued with anxiety. Humans are biologically wired to constantly grow. Our bodies replace 330 billion cells daily. Your digestive lining is renewed every few days. Bones are refreshed every decade.
Once we become stagnant, we die. Physically. Or mentally.
If your job doesn’t allow creativity or room for growth, your mental health will decline because our brains are meant to be stimulated.
We are wired to experience, fail, and learn over and over again so we level up after every obstacle. To break free from the chain of dependency, we need to learn how to be self-sufficient.
Just like investments, we cannot put all our eggs in one basket. You cannot let one single employer dictate your professional life, because once you lose your only source of income, the rest of your life could go downhill, fast.
Unless you have prepared your mind for turbulent situations.
Don’t worry! There are many things you can start doing today to change the trajectory of impending doom.
No, I’m not telling you to quit your job because job loyalty is different for everyone. Only you can decide for yourself. You can however start taking small steps to take back control of your destiny and contribute to the greater good of human evolution.
The first thing you need to do is UPGRADE YOUR MIND.
Life is a mindset game. Money is a mindset. We are conditioned to think we can only make x amount of dollars a year— which comes from a place of scarcity.
You must learn how to embody an abundance mindset.
Having an abundance mindset means you understand that there are enough resources to go around.
More risks are taken.
Risk leads to reward.
Competition is friendly and encouraging because there is unlimited room for success for everyone.
Everyone is a winner.
The scarcity mindset on the other hand is defined by feelings of lack leading to selfishness and competition. When somebody does something better than you, you feel as if you’ve lost. You hoard money and information because you don’t want to share your meager success with others.
Unfortunately, if you want to be truly successful on a grander scale, every around you must be thriving. We live in a cyclic universe and all our actions are intimately intertwined.
Hustle To Freedom: How To Embody An Abundance Mindset:
1. Travel.
Because experiencing different cultures and getting outside of your bubble will expand your mind and open you up to possibilities.
2. Listen more than you speak.
Everybody has an interesting story to tell. Many people have important lessons they can pass on to you. Listen.
3. Notice and reframe negative thoughts.
Our brains are wired for scarcity because it is constantly scanning the environment for dangers to protect us from predators. Knowing this, every time a negative thought arises, notice it, be curious about where it came from (try journaling), and then reframe it to something positive.
4. Get to know your inner child.
It is hard to come out of scarcity if you have experienced any trauma and betrayal, grew up poor and basic needs weren’t met, or come from an unstable home. Doing inner work involves going deep down into the shadows which most people avoid because it’s too painful. However, if you are able to navigate through this uncharted territory you are going to learn profound insights about yourself to take you to the next level
5. Never stop learning.
Keep on upgrading your skills, learn new things outside of your industry, and ask lots of questions.
Learn how to create, manage, develop, and cultivate.
Being multifaceted will give you more opportunities and the confidence to succeed anywhere.
6. Learn new skills.
Your greatest assets are your skill sets.
Learning new skills gives you more opportunities and it keeps your brain stimulated.
It’s a win-win.
7. Never stop being curious.
Curiosity is the new intelligence.
Without curiosity, humanity will never evolve. And you will never step out of your comfort zone to hustle for a life of freedom to do what you want when you want!
TD;LR:
- Travel.
- Listen more than you speak.
- Notice and reframe negative thoughts.
- Get to know your inner child.
- Never stop learning.
- Learn new skills.
- Never stop being curious.
