Busy is not a business model: why Hustle Culture Keeps you spinning
Busy Is Not a Business Model
How Hustle Culture Keeps Fitness and Wellness Pros Spinning Their Wheels
Hustle culture is failing you…and it's not your fault.
Truth time: even the most "successful" fitness + wellness Pros we know juggle multiple businesses. Sounds exciting, right?
However, they often struggle to manage the demands of all of them at once.
Independent fitness and wellness Pros, especially in NYC, are weaned on hustle culture, seduced into thinking that the way to “make it” here is to do all the things, be in motion constantly working, networking, runnning around, attending events. The online glorifcation of a “day in the life” of a trainer usually looks like an ungodly early wake up alarm followed by a non-step onslaught of clients, classes, squeezing in self-workouts, commuting up and down and over, running to in-homes and virtuals and clinics…oh my! The weeekly frustrations, however, add up over time. We hear, a bit too often, about the toll it takes, how much there is to do, how tired people are, etc.
Running around to multiple sites DOES provide variety. Exposure to lots of people and places IS exciting.
And: spinning ones wheels quickly can also mean choking on fumes.
Spinning wheels can lead to being stuck in place.
While the appeal of variety and movement and being in lots of places can be temporarily satisfying, it has also proven to be a long-term drain and often actually shortcuts growth. Think about it: do you get more done towards your biggest priority goals by doing things on the fly and half-heartedly, or by grounding, focusing, and giving it your full attention?
We've seen too many Pros fall prey to wanting to grow and expand - but handcuff themselves by shackling their time to too many variables, all under the guise of "hustle." Steve Irwin, writing in the Australian Institute of Fitness, says it well:
“there’s nothing wrong with working hard. Ambition is a beautiful thing. But the modern grind mindset often celebrates output over outcomes, movement over meaning. You’re rewarded not for how well you perform, but how much you endure.”
The folks at Entrepreneur magazine say it more succinctly:
The social norm of hustle culture is a scam…The idea of working all day and night in pursuit of extreme success and riches has dominated the entrepreneurial space for years.
Are you applying your efforts to meaningful intentions, or doing things for the sake of doing them?
Spinning wheels can lead to being stuck in place.
Many Pros want to grow and expand - but handcuff themselves and their time to too many variables, all under the guise of "hustle."
If we breakdown hustle into its components: energy, direction, and time - you can apply all of the energy and direction into one place for greater impact. Even Fit Pros get it wrong: emotionally feeling as if the energy of lots of things will somehow amount to much if applied everywhere all at once. Hard lesson, but its backwards. Doing lots of things all the time creates activity and noise....not impact. Focus, consolidation, and impact can surpass surface effort, distraction, noise, and prevent burnout.
Doing one thing well: is that a relic of the past, or an aspiration for how to be, ideally, in today’s world?
Here are some ideas that independent wellness pros shared at our recent Arrive Hive:
Can you squish activities in your schedule into useful blocks?
back to back sessions - aim for at least 2-3
admin time scheduled in advance to prevent interruptions and distraction
setting your schedule for the week at the same time, each week
your own workouts and time to eat blocked on your calendar as non-negotiables; oft the most overlooked but desired items!
Can you consolidate locations to free up time?
batch neighborhoods together for in-homes and studio visits
plan a remote day or morning/evening block of hours
reduce the number of locations you provide services at so your focus improved as there is less to manage
Can you choose accountability partners to help you prioritize?
set a calendar reminder for next month to check if you’ve done that thing you said you would do
join a social group - run club, book club, any of arrive’s workout classes or business workshops
set a monthly hang w/ peers to share what you’re working on
If we reframe what we mean by “hustle” it may lead to a big ol’ exhale and relief, without not negating any of the passion or effort you bring to your work and livelihood. By all means, keep hustling - meaning: work hard - but do it smarter, not harder - and apply all of your efforts to the things that matter: building meaningful relationships, having greater clarity and focus, and stressing less as you work to prioritize areas of greatest impact.
If you want support, feel free to reach out! We've helped over 1,000 Pros towards their goals, with simple strategies to improve their life.
Links to mentioned articles:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/living/heres-why-you-need-to-move-away-from-hustle-culture/443227