LEADERSHIP WELL-BEING
The High Cost Of Hustle: The Myth Of More Effort
We live in a world that seems to glorify hustle. Packed calendars, late nights and constant activity are seen as badges of honour. Somewhere along the way, we've bought into the myth that our worth is tied to the quantity of our output.
This was certainly true for me when I was in corporate. I worked long hours, sitting in back to back meetings during the day and trying to get work done at night and over the weekends. My calendar was an object of interest by many. I've always colour coded (still do) different activities so that I can sense make my calendar at a glance. Back then, my calendar looked like a kaleidoscope of ever-shifting colours, and was far from beautiful.
Hustle Is Rooted In Insecurity
The hard truth is that the hustle culture is a myth rooted in insecurity, not greatness.
Instead of delivering the success we chase, hustle often destroys health, relationships, creativity and wellbeing. It traps you in cycles of exhaustion, anxiety and 'never enough', where no matter how much you achieve, you're always left feeling like to need to prove yourself just a little bit more.
When I exited the corporate world, I succumbed to what is commonly known as 'yuppie flu', or chronic fatigue. My case was so severe that I could barely function for longer than an hour at a time, after which I was completely exhausted and needed to rest. This was the consequence of the hustle culture I'd chased for 20 years.
The myth traps us in the fog that more hours, more tasks and more hustle delivers more value. The reality is that sustained, aligned success comes from not how much you do, but from how powerfully you show up in alignment with your deepest values and greatest strengths.
How the Hustle Myth Is Formed
Hustle thrives on the misunderstanding that worth is something you earn through quantity. It tells you that you're only as good as your last delivery, your last result, your last profit number, or achievement.
This insecurity often runs deep. It comes from early experiences where environments of love, praise or belonging were tied to performance. Over time, we internalise the idea that slowing down, resting or focusing on fewer things is risky, because it might mean losing the approval or status that we've worked so hard to earn.
But here's the shift: your worth is not something you earn by endlessly producing.
How To Break The Hustle Trap
Recognising your worth is an inside job. It's not about waiting for others to validate you to give you permission to slow down. It's about doing the inner work to:
Own Your Intrinsic Value
Own your intrinsic value, independent of achievements, roles or output. You are valuable because you exist. You carry a spark that no one else carries. Your presence, insights and unique contribution matter, even before the results show up.
Notice Where You Diminsh Yourself
Notice where you dismiss your stengths, ignore your needs or stay trapped in cycles of overworking and proving. Pay attention to the moments you override rest, connection or self-care in favour of completing one more task.
Take Accountability
Recognise where you keep yourself in environments or patterns that reinforce the hustle myth. If you want aligned success, you must make choices that reflect your worth. These could include prioritising meaningful work, setting boundaries, holding time to think in your calendar, investing in your growth and creating space for creativity and recovery.
Let Your Worth Shape Your Leadership
This means making decisions from a place of clarity and alignment, not fear or scarcity. You lead better when you operate from a place of grounded value, not constant over-achievement.
Moving Away From Hustle to Aligned, Sustained Success
True success isn't about packing every hour with more tasks. Rather, it is about focusing on what matters most, sustaining your energy for the long-term, and creating real impact. Here's how to start shifting:
Prioritise Aligned Action Over Busyness
Don't just fill your plate because you're afraid of being 'less' or wouldn't know what to do with yourself when you to-do list is halved. Focus on the work that draws on your unique genius and moves the needle in meaningful ways.
Redefine What Success Actually Means To You
Success is less likely to be more hours and more output and more likely to be sustainable wellbeing, deep impact and a life where you thrive. Get clear on what aligned success looks like, and allow that alignment to guide your goals and steer your actions.
Set And Honour Your Boundaries
Boundaries don't slow you down. They serve to protect your energy, sharpen your focus and keep you in the game for the long haul that a corporate career or business-building venture requires.
Lead By Example
If you want to build a team or business that thrives without burnout, you must model what aligned success looks like. Your team takes their cues from you.
On this note, one of the leaders of the business school I work for includes this at the bottom of each of her signatures:
I often work at irregular times. If you receive this email outside of your normal or preferred working hours, please note that I do not expect a response immediately. Please revert at your earliest convenienece within your own working hours.
I've always appreciated the care that this message encompasses.
The takeaway
Breaking free from hustle doesn't mean you stop striving or give up ambition. It means you shift how you strive - from overwork to focused, aligned leadership that sustains you, your team and your mission for the long term.
The hustle myth says you must deliver quantity to earn your value. The deeper truth is that your value is already within you, and when you lead from that place, you unlock a far more powerful, sustainable kind of greatness.
If this sounds like a shift you're ready to make, let's connect and explore the ways I can support your journey. Email me at hello@greatnessworx.com, or feel free to use the form here.
