Unlocking Hustle & Grit

The last few years the words “hustle” and “grit” have become quite popular.

People like Gary Vaynerchuck (who you should follow) talk about what it really means to hustle, and be fulfilled by your life’s work.  So I’m going to link a video here which spoke to me (and millions of other people) but I don’t want you to watch it just yet.  Stay with me and come back to it.

In the last few years, I’ve had some tough knocks, like a lot of you have.  My troubles are not exceptional.  I’ve come close to losing my condo by falling behind on payments.  I’ve been laid off and fired.  I’ve taking jobs “below” me, and that I’m way over-qualified for.  I even worked as a waiter for a short period, I was so desperate for cash.  I lost my mojo to write.  I squandered my time.  I’ve eaten crap, made myself fat, been unhealthy, made bad choices and been a victim of my own bad habits. I tried to drown my pain with alcohol.

I’ve also battled back.  I released 50 pounds.  I reconnected with my values.

It was reconnecting with my values that put me back on the right path. The path to fitness and the path to create again.

I got involved with a mastermind group, which helped me take initial steps and be more accountable on a weekly basis.

I had to leave a Mastermind group after six months because I felt it was impeding my progress. Other members were motivated by fear. I felt that the 2.5 hours a week I was putting in to this particular mastermind was getting in the way of producing content and developing my ideas.  And perhaps it’s my fault for not sharing my vision clearly, but I didn’t feel the other members saw my vision so they could fully support it.

I got involved with some new groups and made connections.

I was inspired by others’ efforts, and the hustle & focus I saw.

I still work a day job.  Fortunately it’s not a soul sucking job.  After work I punch the clock and I start my hustle. And before work. The hours of 4-6 am and 5-10pm are my hustle time.  My creative time. I record podcasts with people all over the world; Germany, Australia, US, Ireland, England…I’m finding others can hustle in my early and late hours too.

With my new podcast format, I can scale it.  I went from recording and scheduling one or two per week, to scheduling 20 interviews, and recording 10 interviews in 7 days.  Many with great people I met via Kimra’s Freedom Hackers group.

We’re creating great content that will change lives, through motivation, knowledge, and inspiration.

I took a hard look at my life and realized I was not getting shit done on the scale I need to.  If I didn’t 10x my output in a lot of areas, I’d continue to just plod away working my comfy 9-5 barely scraping by paying the bills.  To an outsider, people would see my website & podcast and think I was making shit happen, but I was really only farting.  Now I’ve really upped my game and am creating on a bigger scale.

This one will fly.

In one week I created as much content as in the past three months.  And I’ve scheduled as much for when I return from break.

I also see where I can 10x things again.  Which is pretty exciting.

So as you wind up your year, ask yourself if you really “brought it” to the table.  Did you really give it your all? Or did you fuck around and enjoy life a little more than you should have?

Don’t get me wrong; I don’t feel bad for enjoying life and having fun and relaxing with my girlfriend on the weekend.  But on Saturday when she wakes up at 8, I’ve been up since five working.  So I can enjoy our time together knowing that I still hustled a bit to make our future brighter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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