Why Hustling Might Be Holding You Back (And What to Do Instead)
If you're facing financial struggles, your instinct might be to hustle harder. But what if that’s actually the very thing holding you back? Here’s what I want you to focus on instead.
The Story That Inspired This Post
Yesterday, I was talking to someone about how I’ve been building my therapy private practice and my YouTube channel, Authentic Living with Émilie, as well as my mentorship program. I shared that my approach is intentional and sustainable because I want a slower-paced life with freedom—and that I don’t hustle.
This really lit her up. But then she asked a question I think many of you might relate to:
"What if someone has fallen on difficult financial times and feels they need to hustle to make ends meet?"
My answer was immediate: the greatest asset you have—yourself—is what matters most. Your wellbeing, health, knowledge, and experience are what will truly allow you to find financial stability and success.
Why Hustling Can Backfire
I get the appeal of hustle culture. Society tells us we need to work harder to “make something” of ourselves, to build businesses, to get ahead. But here’s the truth: hustling is not sustainable. And it doesn’t always give you the life you want.
When we hustle, we actually damage our most important asset: ourselves.
I realized this during my burnout in 2021. I knew I couldn’t keep pushing the way I had been because I risked burning out again. If that happened, I might not have the energy or emotional capacity to do the work I wanted to do—therapy, knowledge-based work, or anything meaningful. That’s when it hit me: I am my greatest asset.
My knowledge, experience, and wellbeing are what will serve me moving forward.
Stability Is a Myth
Life is unpredictable. I used to love having the financial stability of a permanent job, but economic downfalls—like COVID—showed me that stability isn’t guaranteed. People were being let go across sectors, and I realized we can’t fully rely on work stability.
Your Skills and Knowledge Are Transferable
Here’s something powerful: your skills, knowledge, and experience can be applied in more ways than you might think. For example, if I were to lose my therapy license tomorrow, I wouldn’t be stuck. I could pivot to employment counseling, recruiting, sales, or other knowledge-based work.
Maintaining your greatest asset—you—is the key. If you don’t, opportunities slip away because you don’t have the energy or capacity to explore them.
Work Smarter, Not Harder
Hustling often blinds us to what really matters. We overwork, overextend, and still feel like we’re falling behind. We give so much but rarely pause to evaluate if our energy is being spent on the things that actually move the needle forward.
The truth? The work that truly drives results often isn’t the work that keeps us busy. It’s not sending endless emails or pushing paper—it’s the intentional work that develops your skills, knowledge, and wellbeing.
The 80/20 Rule
A helpful principle here is the 80/20 rule: 20% of the work you do will account for 80% of your results. For instance, with my YouTube channel, most videos have few views, but a handful of videos bring in the majority of my subscribers. Those few impactful videos are the 20% that account for 80% of the results.
This is true in business, work, and personal growth too. Step back. Identify the 20% of your actions that truly create results, and focus there.
Your Takeaway
Instead of hustling, ask yourself:
What work am I doing that truly moves the needle forward?
Am I investing in myself—my skills, knowledge, and wellbeing?
Could I approach my financial goals in a way that’s sustainable and aligned with my values?
Hustling might feel necessary, especially during tough financial times. But the real path to financial freedom and stability is investing in you—your greatest asset.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you feel pressure to hustle to achieve financial success? Could there be a different, more intentional way forward? Share your reflections in the comments below—I always enjoy hearing your perspective.
Watch the full video version of this blog here: Struggling Financially? Why Hustling Could Be Holding You Back