When the Hustle Destroys Us: Anxiety and the Loss of a Mindful Life

Reflections - Part 9

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1️⃣Pen and Sword Journal: Articles regarding the Way of the Warrior, blending martial arts wisdom and philosophy.

2️⃣Reflections series: Thoughts on psychology, mental health, zen, philosophy, and self-development for your inner work.

Each week, I alternate between these series. Each series reflects my background in martial arts and psychology. Appreciate you for being here!

Hello friends,

First of all, I want to wish you a truly happy new year, one filled with health, well-being, love, inner peace, and the willpower to overcome doubts and external limitations.

As we step into this new chapter, I’m excited to continue our Reflection Series together. I know many of you have a warrior spirit and have set meaningful goals for this year. With that in mind, I want to start with a message that’s deeply relevant to our times: a reflection on effort and Hustle Culture.

For those unfamiliar with the term, hustle culture is the relentless drive to work hard, stay busy, and constantly be productive, often at the expense of one's well-being and personal life. It's the belief that success and self-worth are directly tied to the amount of effort and hustle you put into your work.

While it can motivate some, it can also lead to burnout, anxiety, and a lack of balance and mindfulness in life.

In this article, I want to focus precisely on the dangers of hustle culture, the habits and mentalities that can arise from it, and how we can find balance when navigating this ever-demanding world.

Why Hustle Culture Resonates with So Many

If you’ve followed me on social media or read my articles, you know how much I value discipline and hard work. For me, these qualities are essential, not only for achieving external goals, but for doing the deep inner work required to grow as a person.

There are moments when hustle culture can serve us, especially given the reality of modern life. We live in a time when urban environments, industrialization, and technology have a gigantic impact. Much of what we do depends on material resources. Whether it’s the cost of education, medical expenses for ourselves or our loved ones, or (if you are so much into animals like me) even caring for pets we love, economic stability is often a necessity.

Many may not like this reality, but unless we’ve chosen a monastic or ascetic life, it’s one we must deal with. That doesn’t mean becoming materialistic, because true materialism devalues human connection and values for the sake of material gain.

Instead, generating income should be seen as a means of extending our resources and abilities to ensure well-being, security, and moments of joy for ourselves and those we care about.

When approached thoughtfully from this perspective, hustle culture can make sense. It becomes a tool for building a foundation of stability and purpose. But, like all tools, it must be used with care. It must be balanced. Hustle should serve us, not control us. To achieve this balance, regular reflection and grounding are essential.

Three Main Drives Behind the Hustle

Let’s take a closer look at the main motivations that drive people to hustle. I believe they fall into three primary categories:

1. Passion and Inspiration
   This is the purest form of hustle. It’s the kind driven by genuine excitement and love for what you do. When you’re inspired, work doesn’t feel like a burden but like an expression of your purpose. This kind of hustle energizes more than it depletes energy.

2. A Sense of Responsibility
   The second type is rooted in duty, whether it’s a mission, vision, or responsibility to others, such as family or society.

   This hustle may not always feel inspiring, as it often comes with the weight of obligation, uncertainty, and worry about the future.

   However, this kind of responsibility can be channeled positively. Even mild anxiety about the unknown can act as a motivator when consciously directed toward purposeful action.

3. Compulsive Anxiety
   The third, and most dangerous, drive comes from a place of compulsive anxiety. This is where hustle becomes less about inspiration or responsibility and more about escaping internal unease.

   For some, anxiety manifests as avoidance, binge habits, or freezing up. But for others, it transforms into excessive action. For instance, workaholism is a typical example of this.

   This last type of hustle is the most dangerous, and what I will focus on. It often goes unnoticed by the person experiencing it. The unconscious drive to escape their inner turmoil leads to overwork, accumulating anxiety until it explodes.

   It steals from the present moment, blinds us to meaningful connections, and, tragically, can make us miss irreplaceable moments with loved ones.

   

   The Cost of Unchecked Hustle

   Dr. Seuss once wrote,

   “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.”

   Unchecked hustle often robs us of these moments. It whispers that success lies in endless striving and that rest is weakness. It convinces us that productivity is synonymous with purpose. But life, as it turns out, doesn’t work that way.

   The relentless push to do more can erode our health, our joy, and our relationships.

   The irony of hustle culture is that, in its pursuit of “having it all,” it often leaves us with much less: less peace, less connection, less time with our loved ones, and less fulfillment.

   True success is not measured by the hours you put in but by the depth of your experiences, the strength of your relationships, and the balance you bring to your life.

   I know that for some, it’s hard to keep the balance between providing for your loved ones and being there for them.

   With the exception of cases when one has to work hard to pay medical expenses (God forbid), I think if something makes us not be there for the people and causes that matter most, it’s not worth the price in the long run.

   The Way Forward: Reflect and Recalibrate

   The trouble is, you think you have time.

   This new year is a chance to reimagine our relationship with effort and success. It’s an opportunity to recognize the drives behind our hustle and to ask ourselves:

   • Am I hustling out of passion, duty, or avoidance?

   • Is my hustle serving my life, or is it taking over my life?

   The answers to these questions can guide us toward a healthier, more grounded approach, one where effort is balanced with mindfulness, and ambition coexists with presence.

   Hustle culture doesn’t have to be the enemy, but it must be tempered by wisdom, intention, and self-awareness.

   Let this year be one where we strive not just for external achievements but for inner peace and meaningful connections.

   After all, the greatest victories are the ones that bring harmony to our lives.

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📌 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣.

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🔻📕Additional Resources:

If you've found my article helpful and inspiring and want to delve deeper into the subjects of psychology, philosophy, the warrior ethos and zen, I recommend checking out my books:

📕➡️100 thoughts for the Inner Warrior

Whether you're seeking personal growth, to fortify your inner strength and mental resilience, or simply a deeper understanding of the warrior ethos, "100 Thoughts for the Inner Warrior" is a valuable resource that can guide you on your journey.

📕➡️The Secrets of Willpower

This is my latest book, and it’s packed with proven psychological techniques to help you access your mind’s hidden reserves and build the willpower, tenacity and discipline needed to face any challenge. From strategies to quiet the inner voice of self-doubt to exercises that master the art of delayed gratification, each chapter guides you on a path toward mental, physical and emotional mastery.

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Wish you all a great start of the week/year! 🙏😊