When Hustle Pays Off

I stopped hustling constantly when my message became so clear, my purpose so organizing, and my process so reproducible that others were able to ‘work’ on my behalf whether they were part of my organization or not.

I didn’t need to spread the word about the You Economy because You did it for me. I didn’t need to prove the value of my process because others demonstrated that value for me.

I hustle–and I use the word the way my softball coaches used it–when I know where I’m going. I hustle to right field, home plate, or the pitcher’s mound. But I’m no long distance runner. I don’t hustle for fun.

I generally don’t hustle for interviews. The requests come naturally because of the work I do and the message I espouse. I generally don’t hustle for sales. I’m direct and have learned how to communicate the value of what I do pretty clearly. I generally don’t hustle social media. If I’m inspired, I post and interact. In each of these cases, I lead with my strengths and passions so that the work feels more like play.

As I was growing my business, I put hustle into exploring my message, clarifying my purpose, and systematizing my process. I spoke, I listened, I experimented, I tested. I had coffee conversations. I made beautiful mistakes by moving fast and furiously. But all that hustle led to having a message that others are excited to spread, a purpose others are excited to work toward, and a process that gets the job done over and over again.

If the hustle you’re investing into your business supports similar goals, I say keep up the good work. If the hustle you’re expending on your business is scattershot, it’s time to reevaluate.

In the end, all this means my business is yours, not mine. It’s your excitement that makes the difference, not mine. I’m not a solo entrepreneur and this isn’t a business of one. It’s a business of tens of thousands. And no amount of hustle can overcome the power of those numbers.