Glorifying the Grind

Social media is a funny thing. A

s a Content Marketer and someone who often generates clients from the social sphere, platforms like Instagram are equal parts integral to my life, and downright frustrating. Some days, I feel inspired to post and interact with others via posts, stories and DMs — others, I feel entirely burdened by it. Not too long ago, a video clip of Jay Z went viral in which he explained “People emulate the end result, not the process.” This resonated with me, especially, because we live in a world where we can so easily emulate the end result (not the process) into a specifically curated Instagram feed. Moreover, we can emulate things — say, a certain lifestyle, a certain physique etc. — that aren’t even currently a reality. At least, not in the way we might promote it. Of course, that’s a whole can of worms in itself and I’m not here to delve into the detriments of social media inflation/BS. That’s a topic for another day. But what I do want to talk about, is the way we utilize social media as a conduit for our entrepreneurial endeavours and a platform to speak to our hustle. Millennials especially, seem drawn to the idea of entrepreneurship. We love to talk about the hustle. If anything, many of us feel that we are defined by the hustle and the hours we dedicate to it. Whether it’s a business or a side hustle, my feed is constantly filled with people in their twenties, thirties and beyond preaching the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial grind. On paper, this seems great. But at the root of it, I find myself comparing this shift in social behaviour and perceptions to the ‘busy trap’ — our cultural/generational penchant for turning a busy schedule into a badge of honour. We love to talk about how busy we are. When someone asks us “how are you?”, how often do we mindlessly answer with “busy, really busy…”? It’s our knee-jerk reaction, our claim to perceived work ethic in the professional sphere. An important lesson I learned from the likes of Tim Ferriss (and others) is this: Being busy is the enemy of productivity. Busy = out of control. Lack of time often represents a lack of priorities, and more often than not being perpetually, overwhelmingly ‘busy’ is a position you choose to occupy or emulate. This has been a lesson I had to learn the hard way, over the years. But now, I find myself watching this same propensity creep into the realm of entrepreneurship and influencers, as I scroll through countless stories preaching the 13+ hour days and the sleepless nights associated with ‘the grind’. Which brings me to my point: Influencers, hustlers, business owners — Please be mindful of the way(s) in which you glorify the grind. As a freelancer who has her own side-hustles, I can tell you — the grind is real. Between my marketing work and writing, my training and coaching, the bulk of my weekly hours are dedicated to my professional pursuit. But I’m still in the driver’s seat; I still make time for my friends, family, my boyfriend, my dog, social events, sleep, reading and even the occasional Netflix binge. And if I don’t — if all that goes by the wayside — well, that generally isn’t the fault of my hustle, it’s a lesson in prioritization. Or perhaps, a sign to work smarter — not harder. Especially in today’s social media climate, where our lives are so public (but still, ultimately, curated), I urge you to be wary of the influence social media has. Because regardless of your industry (creative, fitness etc.) social media can start to feel like a rat race. It’s all too easy to watch the story posted by someone who has a few thousand, maybe even 10+ thousand followers, and wonder if you’re not doing enough. Are they more successful than me? Are they making more money? If they’re posting about sleeping 3 hours and working 14 hour days, is that what I should be doing too? Is that the cost of entry into the world of entrepreneurship? Am I not hustling enough? Am I not sacrificing enough?

Honestly, some of the hardest hustlers I know almost never speak to the exact hours they dedicate to their pursuit (unless specifically asked) — you know why? Because they’re too busy doing it. That’s not to say entrepreneurship should be packaged as ‘easy’. Of course it isn’t. Of course it’s a grind. But that grind should be touted in equal measure with the importance of balance. An ability to flip the switch off, if your body or mind calls for it, without feeling guilty about it. After all, if business owners assume all the risk, shouldn’t they also assume the reward? Otherwise, what are we trying to accomplish here? Are we looking to gain access to an exclusive social media-derived ‘club’ in which we are all over-worked, stretched beyond our means and wearing the bags under our eyes like a badge of honour? Trust me, that becomes a slippery slope and it sure as hell isn’t long-term sustainable. Work smart, create boundaries and establish a work-life balance that won’t eat you alive or hinder your personal/professional growth in the long run. I run into this same dilemma in the realm of health and fitness. As I already mentioned, I was stuck in the ‘busy trap’ for years and, beyond that, I am someone who notoriously struggles with rest. Being a severe creature of habit, I love to train. Getting my ass into the gym day in and day out isn’t a struggle — what is a struggle, however, is learning to love rest just as much as I love the work. Trust me, this is a tough habit to unlearn. Well, guess what? The same thing applies to entrepreneurship and the professional grind. If you have any platform of influence, it is your responsibility to be mindful of the message(s) which you are sharing. Sure — speak to the work you put in, be real, be candid, but please don’t over-glorify the grind. Don’t emulate a hustle that only comes at the cost of everything beyond it.

Ultimately, entrepreneurship shouldn’t be viewed as some sort of popular trend or a social media competition. It’s not about who sleeps the least number of hours and who talks about it the most. In fact, it’s far less about talk and more about action. Rather, it’s about maximizing your time, identifying your niche, assembling your tribe, refining your process, finding a (healthy) balance and reaping the rewards of your hustle from time to time, too — entirely guilt-free.