Not all hustles are created equal
TL; DR Watch your motivations and make sure your actions follow when you’re out there “hustling.”
Bona Fides Decades spent in the corporate world with companies like Boeing, PwC and Saint-Gobain; and then two businesses of my own
WHAT’S GOING ON
I think I hear the word “hustle” about 50 times a day just by being out in the world.
What I’ve come to understand is that “hustle” seems to mean “work hard, make money.” For many, though, it often means “monetize your hobbies.”
A few years ago, I came across a Tweet by Meg Draws that perfectly outlined the difference between “Good Hustle” and “Bad Hustle.” This list has since become a defining framework in my life.
Here’s how she defined each term:
BAD HUSTLE
Sleeplessness as a badge of honor
Health/wellness put on hold
Friends/family put on hold
Deadline bullies
“I HAD to …”
Sacrificing hobbies/interests
Being busy for the sake of busy
GOOD HUSTLE
If you think a thing should exist, build it
If you don’t know how to do a thing, figure it out
Failed? No problem. Next idea.
“I WANT to …”
Grabbing opportunities
Can’t stop learning
Your mileage may vary, but I’ve seen far too many colleagues and leaders fall victim to BAD HUSTLE. It’s remarkably easy to lose sight of your actual goals by focusing instead on the next PowerPoint slide, the next deadline, or the next report. In these environments, you often find meetings before the meeting, an obsession with “managing up,” and people glued to their laptops both during meetings and at 11 p.m., when the so-called “real work” begins after endless discussions have wrapped up.
On the flip side, organizations that honor the principles of GOOD HUSTLE are far less common, yet they stand out. Leaders in these spaces tend to listen more than they speak. They embrace fast, frequent failures as a necessary step toward finding better solutions. Here, trust is built on commitment to outcomes, with a focus on actions over arbitrary activity.
As someone who has built two businesses, I’ve kept these reminders close by. I once wrote them on a forgotten whiteboard in the hallway of my last corporate job—a place every employee passed at one time or another. My husband (and business partner) often set the tone for our meetings by saying, “Good vibes only.” He made a point of delaying decisions whenever he felt those good vibes were missing.
Sticking with the ideals of the GOOD HUSTLE may have cost us some opportunities in the short term, but after several years, I’ve witnessed its long-term benefits. We have more repeat customers because of this approach; we’ve avoided burnout and the bitterness of an unsustainable work pace. By prioritizing sleep, hobbies, and a social life, we’ve created a healthier, more energized workplace—and that energy carries over to the job site.
It’s worth noting that hustle culture isn’t the only road to burnout, but it’s undeniably one of the most tempting paths to it. Be mindful of your hustle—make it a good one.