Hustle Culture: Being vs. Doing. Why is it versus?

Picture this. You’re running your business, setting goals, making to-do lists, posting on social media, keeping up with your books. You are do, do, doing and the list of things is never ending. 

You’re hustling

There is a lot of talk in the world these days about hustle culture. That hustle is toxic and will lead to an inevitable burnout. 

I tend to agree with these statements, the idea of hustling raises my hackles. 

And also, as a small business owner, you often need to hustle to get all the things done. You’ve got a lot of responsibilities and few people (if any) to take them off your plate. 

So can we actually ever truly "be" anti-hustle?

Now let’s swing the pendulum to the other side

The past few years have forced us to slow down, to nurture ourselves and those around us. To bring more awareness to what our wants and needs are. 

To give up control. 

To just be

And we’ve seen a counterpoint to hustle culture rise in popularity. To tap into your inner spirit, shift your mindset, manifest what you want. If you put it out into the world it will come. It’s the law of attraction. You are being your truest self and attracting what is meant for you. 

Sounds pretty nice, I’m in. 

It’s so important to reflect and gain awareness of your needs so that you can best care for yourself. And when you are well cared for, you have the energy, creativity, clarity of thought that is needed to run a thriving business. But can you really build a thriving business by just “putting it into the universe”?

Here we are, swinging back and forth to opposite ends of this pendulum. 

Being or Doing. 

Doing or Being. 

But don’t forget, friends… the pendulum oscillates between these two, and as long as it’s not stuck to one side or the other, time keeps moving forward. And it’s OK, because in reality…

There is no versus.

The reality is there are times where we do need to work hard and hustle in our business. 

Life is so much more than “this versus that”, it is way more nuanced. And that versus world can breed guilt and shame too because there is always this opposite that you “should” be doing. Then we feel more deflated or defeated when we catch ourselves on the opposite side of the pendulum.

We need to be focused, take action, stay committed, and be productive in our business. The key is to not let it take over. 

Remember you're still a human being and you need to feel your feelings, create, bring awareness to your actions and impact. And isn’t it nice to just slow down every now and again?

Blending that being and doing together can mean taking the consistent action that you need to move your business forward, noticing and enjoying the journey along the way, staying committed to your goals, and throwing a little self-care into your schedule. 

It’s not a binary, folks. It’s an entire plane of oscillation (more pendulum analogies, I’m such a nerd 😊). 

And if you walk away with anything, let it be this: be gentle. Go easy on yourself. It’s OK to hustle, as long as you swing back and rest. 

It’s OK to slow down, as long as when it’s time to hustle for your business, you focus and get it done. 

Just remember to always come back and swing.

Here is what I’d like you to take away and consider

What does it look like (or feel like) when you push too hard to one side of the pendulum or the other?

What does your own personal “plane of oscillation” look like? Meaning, what’s in between just doing and just being? Can you find a way to smooth out the transition between the two? 

Keep on swinging,

Kim

P.S. If you find yourself stuck to one end of the pendulum, I can help you find your plane of oscillation.  Book a discovery call to see if we are a good fit for one another.