The Three Stages to Combat the Hustle Culture

1. Reflect, DON'T Expect

When the new decade kicks in, everyone is expecting too much growth and development for themselves. It is not an absolute request of an individual to themselves but more of an end goal. The future holds too many secrets that it fears us if we would still be relevant. If the worth of a person is the backhand force that fuels expectations, then failure hurts harder than surprise defeats.

These failures born from expectations are called regrets. It is the worst form of failure. You see, whenever people failed, they often had what-ifs thoughts in their minds. People felt uneasy with the fact that they could have chosen a road less traveled by knowing that it could work since the first choice failed.  But what is next after the feeling of remorse?

The deeper we fall and the darker our perspective became, we simply cannot deny the fact that we became more eager to rise. A 1% hope still counts. A single thought and willingness to try again for mere second matters.  

This is where reset enters the scene. It is not starting over again. It is continuing where you stop. But this time, you are a better version of yourself. Equipped with the right mentality, more emotionally and mentally stable, and has a new purpose. All these together will surely fuel your passion for what you love to do! Unfortunately, it is easy said than done. So where did we go wrong?

2. Let the Pressure fuels the Passion

Time flies so fast and if you failed to catch up, you lose. Growing up is everyone's first dream when we were young. We always have this "When I grow up..." every time we failed to get or do what we want. That is why we hustle. Meet hustle culture. It is simply the more 'this' or 'that', the more secured the future will be.

But why can't we battle the "I could earn more!" to "I could be better!" Isn't the first step to ace something to win yourself first? Wasn't it supposed to be the easiest thing to do? It should be. But we failed because even before we help ourselves, we always end up hurting ourselves first with unnecessary standards. These are expectations fabricated by society and are usually the pushing factor to our standard.

Hustle culture on the other hand is helpful to some people who prefer working under pressure. Some are more productive if they are pushed to their limits. Some just get used to it because they must. Poverty could be a powerful factor overlooked by the ignorance of many. You see, hustle culture is adopted by most people either because they are left with no choice or they prefer it themselves.

But not everyone could adapt to this. When something is too overwhelming it often ends up being so toxic. So how can we combat this culture? There is nothing wrong to try harder. Through this, we can know our extent and flaws. We can learn about the strengths we didn't know we have. We can improve it and at the same time, we can turn our weaknesses into our strengths. We can do this if we try to reach beyond what we think is our limit. Like what is said, it is impossible unless it is done.

3. Your race, your pace

Thus, if it is not wrong to try hard, then it is also not wrong to work at your own pace. Time flies, it is a fact. We should not battle what we can't control. But in this hustling world, we can control our life!

We don't need to rush like what we were told when we were young. In most countries, the perfect age to get married is said to be 25-30 years old. This is an example of fabricated expectations driven by old norms. But in this era, you don't need to fulfill someone else expectations for you! You don't need to catch up on anyone. You are in your race!

But why run? To 'run' symbolizes working harder each time you reset your life. When you get tired, then walk. When you feel unmotivated, rest and recharge. But never stop. When you fall after years of 'running' and trying, then take one step at a time. Little, simple habits could lead you to your greatest breakthrough.

Therefore, to combat hustle culture, one must use the reversed card of taking one step at a time. The key to winning is consistency. Take a break but never stop. Try again but continue what you started.

This time with a proper mindset and new driven purpose. How? First, never expect but don't forget to reflect. Then, let the world be your motivation, and let the pressure fuels your passion. Lastly, work the hardest at your own pace. No rush, just never stop.