Are you lazy?
Me too.
Or rather, I believe resourceful is a better word.
I don't like to work hard.
I prefer seeking out ways to work smart.
To apply minimal effort for maximum reward.
But that's not the narrative on Social Media today.
When you go on Social Media and enter the category of entrepreneurs, you enter an echo chamber of "grind it out," "prove them wrong," and "no excuses" mantras.
You've probably seen these very clever slogans. /s
You should wake up at 5 a.m. and work until you go to sleep (don't forget to hit the gym).
Because apparently, if you’re not pushing yourself to the point of collapse, you’re not really trying.
It’s everywhere: in podcasts, motivational posts, and TikToks featuring clips of people running in the rain, with captions that scream, “No days off!”
But here's the thing: This "hustle" narrative? It can be pretty toxic.
It's also self-defeating.
Again, don't work hard, work smart.
Find out where you can get maximum leverage.
Think. A. Lot.
You should be sharpening your axe 90% of the time and only cutting 10%.
But the hustle mindset has you convinced that the only way to succeed is to relentlessly grind, block out your feelings, and power through at any cost.
The real cost, though, is often your mental health, your relationships, and—let’s be real—your happiness.
And you only get one life, so be careful how you spend your time.
The Big Distraction
The irony is that a lot of these so-called "hustlers" aren’t chasing success—they’re running away from themselves.
The grind becomes a distraction.
It's also funny how we believe that successful people know everything.
We ask Bill Gates how he would cure cancer.
Pardon my French but; How the fuck would he know?
Just because someone is incredibly skilled at one thing, doesn't mean they're skilled at everything.
Let's try and observe Bill Gates play basketball.
Maybe he got game, I don't know.
The point is this; These "role models" will tell you what worked for them.
Or if they haven't done it, they will echo someone else.
To the man with a hammer, every problem is a nail.
What they are saying might work.
But what do you want?
To be happy?
Then you might need a different tool than a hammer.
These people tell themselves that if they just keep pushing harder, work more hours, and stay busy, they won’t have to face those uncomfortable truths lurking beneath the surface.
You know, the internal voices that whisper, “Are you really happy?”
I'm not telling you to run around with a big smile 24/7 looking like a maniac.
But hating what you do 80% of the time and telling yourself; "That's just how it is" is not great either.
So, what do these "role models" do?
They drown out that voice with noise.
The noise of achievement, milestones, and external validation.
"Grind harder," they say.
"Suck it up," they tell themselves.
But in reality, all they’re doing is keeping themselves distracted from facing their own internal battles—the insecurities, the fear of not being enough, or, quite often, the feeling of not liking themselves.
Punishing Yourself Into "Success"
First off, what is success?
If you are rich and hate yourself, would you call yourself a success?
The culture of hustle is fueled by punishment.
It’s that internal dialogue that says, “You’re not good enough unless you work harder. Unless you suffer more.”
And that’s the problem: it equates suffering with worth.
We’ve all heard the phrases:
- “Suck it up.”
- “Push through the pain.”
- “Winners grind, losers whine.”
But let’s break that down: If you keep telling yourself to suck it up, to push through at all costs, what are you actually saying?
You’re basically telling yourself that you don’t matter—that your needs, your feelings, your well-being aren’t worth considering.
That you, as a person, are secondary to the grind.
This constant self-punishment can lead to a toxic cycle.
You might achieve certain things, sure, but you won’t feel the joy you thought those achievements would bring.
Because, guess what? When you hate yourself, you can’t truly appreciate anything.
It’s a never-ending cycle of dissatisfaction—because no matter how much you accomplish, you still feel like it’s never enough.
Sounds like a pretty miserable life.
Look, you can schedule a massage for yourself, get yourself an ice cream and buy a nice dinner for yourself.
And still do amazing work.
I'm not saying the traditional "life is all about balance", because it is not.
Life is different for everyone and what matters to you is what is important.
But be sure you truly know what matters to you.
Especially if you are very ambitious.
In the book As A Man Thinketh by James Allen, he says (paraphrased); "The higher your ambitions, the more you must sacrifice."
And he is right.
Arnold had to move to America, all alone, to become Mr. Olympia and later The Terminator.
Great achievements, but they came at a huge cost.
And those years in between must have been incredibly scary and lonely.
If I ask you; "Can you make your income ten times bigger in one year?"
You'll probably say; "Not possible."
And you may be right.
But if I say; "Well, can you do it in 30 years?"
You might respond; "30? I can do it in 15 years."
Fantastic.
Progress doesn't happen over night.
It's a long slow process.
I would even argue the changes you make today are not noticeable in your results until 6 months from now.
If you've been doing them consistently for 6 months that is.
Therefore, give yourself a bit of breathing room.
Take a day off.
Maybe two.
However many you need until you come back refreshed and looking forward to the work.
You have time.
But be consistent.
And if it doesn't energise you, it will be very difficult to be consistent.
The Hidden Damage
I actually believe the hustle narrative came to be because it ironically tells you subliminally (outside your awareness), that you are valuable.
That you matter.
That anyone can do it, but they have to put in the work.
It is true, anyone can do anything.
The hard part is being consistent about doing anything.
And if you hate it, you'll quit sooner or later.
Or have a mental breakdown.
The hustle narrative convinces you that the only way to be worth something is to keep moving, keep achieving, keep proving.
But in the process, you’re actually doing the opposite.
You’re chipping away at your self-worth.
Because every time you tell yourself to ignore how you feel and "just get to work," you’re reinforcing the idea that you don’t matter.
That your happiness, fulfilment, and well-being are secondary.
Eventually, this mindset leads to burnout—not just physical exhaustion, but emotional and spiritual depletion.
And what’s worse, this toxic mentality creates a warped definition of success.
It’s no longer about serving others or building something meaningful; it’s about proving yourself, about showing the world that you made it, even if that means sacrificing everything else in the process.
And we have glorified this path.
We celebrate Jordan Belfort in the Wolf Of WallStreet (to his credit, he is helping people now through his YouTube channel).
I can promise you one thing.
If you have capacity for empathy that is, which almost all people do.
You may become rich by taking from others (which you do if you take money and give fake or no value).
But you sure as hell are going to hate yourself in the end too.
If You Don’t Love Yourself, You Can’t Serve Others
Let’s shift gears for a second.
If you’re in this constant state of grinding and punishing yourself, ask yourself:
How can you genuinely serve others?
Because at the end of the day, isn’t that what the work of any great entrepreneur or ambitious person should be about?
Service.
Whether you’re building a business, creating art, or leading a team, the ultimate goal should be to make a difference in people’s lives.
To make their lives better.
But if you don’t love yourself, if you’re constantly at war with yourself, how can you truly serve anyone else?
When you’re operating from a place of self-hate or dissatisfaction, everything becomes transactional.
You give, but not from a place of abundance or love—you give to get something back.
Maybe it’s validation, praise, or even just the satisfaction of proving yourself.
But that’s not real service.
That’s self-serving.
On the other hand, when you love yourself—when you’re kind to yourself and recognise your worth—you can show up for others in a genuine way.
You’re not trying to prove anything.
You’re not grinding to make up for some internal void.
You’re simply giving, because you want to, because it feels good to create something meaningful for others.
Now this, this is the goal you should aim for.
I'm not fully there yet myself.
I love material things and extraordinary experiences.
Which costs a lot of money, of course.
But I make it my aim to create a win-win, where I provide exceptional value for society which will allow me to pursue this lifestyle.
And that's a transactional relationship.
But.
I am aware this is my ultimate aim.
To give without seeking anything in return.
Self-Love Is Not Laziness
Now, let’s clear something up: Loving yourself doesn’t mean sitting back and doing nothing.
It doesn’t mean you stop working hard or pursuing your goals.
In fact, when you love yourself, you can work just as hard—if not harder—but from a healthier place.
A place where you’re not constantly punishing yourself or seeking external approval, but where you’re motivated by passion, purpose, and the desire to make a difference.
When you clarify the purpose of what you do and those you serve – it doesn't feel like a grind.
When you know that you are helping someone out there, you feel valuable.
Self-love is about balance.
It’s about recognising that you can be ambitious and kind to yourself at the same time.
It’s about understanding that rest isn’t weakness, and that pushing yourself to the brink isn’t a badge of honor.
Get your 8 hours of sleep.
Go to bed a little early.
Schedule that massage.
Book a dinner for yourself.
Go on a vacation for a week and think.
Take a day or two off.
Final Thoughts
The toxic side of the "self-help" and "hustle" culture is all about convincing you that suffering equals success.
But the truth is, if you’re punishing yourself, you’re not setting yourself up for true fulfilment.
You’re setting yourself up for misery.
And if you don’t love yourself, you can’t truly serve others, which is what the work of every great entrepreneur or leader is all about.
So next time you hear that voice telling you to "suck it up" or "grind harder," take a moment to ask yourself why.
The reason you need that voice in the first place is because you don't even know why you're doing what you are doing.
I believe it was Beethoven who was once asked by a student; "Beethoven, am I ready to compose music?"
"No." replied Beethoven.
"Why" said the student.
The student then said; "You composed music when you were just 10 years old!"
"Yes." replied Beethoven.
"But I didn't ask anybody if I was ready. I just did it."
Are you chasing something meaningful, or are you asking someone else if you are ready?
Because in the long run, loving yourself, understanding why you do what you do and giving yourself permission, will get you further than any "grind" ever could.
See you in the next one.
/ Mads