this edition of the [no hustle] huddle went out on Monday 26th June 2023

Welcome to the huddle,

From a young age, you’re fed a toxic and cyclical idea that once you reach X, life will become easier / happier / more fulfilling / whatever else.

Once I finish school, I’ll have more freedom and be happier.

Once I get a degree, I’ll get a great job and be successful.

Once I get that promotion, I’ll have enough to live the life of my dreams.

Once the kids get older, I’ll have more energy and we can travel.

Once we retire, we can finally do all those things we missed out on.

It never ends. As parents, we use it on our children in the same ours used it on us … if you finish all your meal you can have ice cream afterward. 

It’s nothing but a carrot dangling at the edge of theirs and our noses.

Is this a bad thing? Not entirely. It’s good to have goals and something to drive you. But that something has to have a purpose. That’s an issue for most of us.

Instead of Defining Success on our terms, we end up subscribing to a generic version society preaches (status, class, the size of your house) or the one placed upon us by another (the job that will make our parents proud et al).

This is a crime. When you stop and think, it may be the biggest one of all.

Because this is your life and if you spend it pursuing something (or a series of somethings) that only kinda matter or you’re not too sure about… well what’s the point? And that, my friend, is the point; to actually define the “point” you pursue.

Success takes on many forms. What it means to me won’t align with what it does for you. This is not only fine but beautiful. It’s what makes this world interesting.

So take this reminder today to step back and think about what success means to you … consider your current situation and the chapter of life you currently reside in, and ask yourself what you’re pursuing and if it actually matters.

Not to anyone else, but to YOU.

This lack of clarity is what leads most of us (all of us?) into The Hustle. 

Worse, it’s an enabler that keeps us there, distracting us from even being conscious of how we feel and what’s going on because we’re so busy chasing… “it”.

If that “it” actually means something to you, you can craft a wonderful world. 

Whereas if “it” holds little value or meaning, you’re wandering in the wilderness, and the forest only grows gloomier as the day gets older.

from the [no hustle] community

Why Redefining Success with AI is the Future of Work (& Life)— Defining success on YOUR terms is an important step we all must take… but how does it look in this new world of AI? Has it changed? Has our job become easier? Harder?

Escaping Hustle Culture: 6 Toxic Impacts & How To Overcome Them— The problem with Hustle Culture is how it keeps you busy and distracted. That’s not good when you’re trying to figure out what success means to you. With this video, you’ll learn more about your relationship with “it” and how to step back.

3 actions to take this week

? Bookmark this → in this thought-provoking article, Mark Manson explores our relationship with PAIN and the important yet overlooked role it plays in success.

? watch this → I’ve never understood the appeal of Gary V. So when I found this video from Munecat, I felt heard. She’s fast become one of my favorite creators, and this journalistic piece (in particular) is GOLD!

?DO THIS → give yourself the gift of five minutes to THINK … simply reflect on your current path and the version of success you pursue—you cannot change course until you know where you are.

this week’s featured book

Live Your Truth by Kamal Ravikant — This short and simple book is a masterpiece; one of my all-time faves and one I’ve re-read several times over. In fact, each time I reach a point of reflecting on success and the path I’m on, I turn to this immersive collection of essays.

?️ pass the mic

I’ve personally been lucky to meet many inspiring folk on my journey. Yet one person always comes to mind—especially when I think about success and what it actually means. AJ Leon is a character unlike any other: whimsical, adventurous, intensely kind, a soul that soothes simply through its being.

? drop the mic

As AJ once told me over coffee … “One day you will die, my friend.”

This is true for all of us. We cannot escape that fate. All we can do is live our life on our terms; to live our version of truth.

Success plays a vital role in that.

… although it may not involve fancy cars and large houses, and it may not include many of the blocks of life you’ve spent so long building.

Your job. Your career path. Your retirement fund. Your house and picket fence…

Some of it will no longer serve a purpose. It may never have.

And that’s okay. You don’t need all the answers now and you certainly don’t need a solution tomorrow. What you do need is to draw a line in the sand and stop wasting your time. Make today the day you Define Success on your terms.

You *should* have planted this tree many years ago. But you didn’t, so the next best time is now. Get the watering can at the ready ?

I hope this has spoken to you today… if it has, please reply and share your thoughts on success and what it currently means to you ?

And if you know someone else who needs to read this, FORWARD the email and encourage them to subscribe to the [no hustle] huddle ?

Thank you for being here, and thank you for being you.

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