Dear Hustle,

Mike Santos
Aug 24, 2017 · 2 min read

Hey, it’s me….

Hope all is well. I know, I know, it’s been a while. Although to some, slacking for a few months is nothing, sometimes a way of life or meh, no big deal.

But to the us my dear friend , it’s an eternity, it’s guilt, it’s anxiety, it’s getting your heart ripped out.

For a while there I fell in love with your fruits and relied on raw talent and just going through the motions to get me through. It worked for a little, but ultimately I felt empty. I knew how I initially earned your respect, and you blessed me afterward.

I, more than anybody, understand that you can’t cheat the grind.

In the past few months I’ve seen the imposters that you warned me about.

You know who they are. The “hustlers” that cheat on you for fast money and quick toys. The “hustlers” that want, but aren’t willing to give. The “hustlers”, that pretend to be tough but when the going gets tough, they run. We stay. We grind.

I apologize for even wasting my time worrying about them. They are the shiny house built on a straw foundation. You showed me how to build mine on “Rearden Steel”.

To each his own.

In the end I’m playing for legacy, for the marathon. I want to be one of the greats on your Mount Rushmore, and I will be.

Anyway, I’m still here.

The same kid that at 12, you pushed to learn how to work the old man’s payroll and taxes. The same kid that at 15 (even though at times I didn’t really want to), pushed me to work in the sun all weekend cutting tree’s. The same kid that at 21 , pushed me to defy the odds and helped me climb the mythical and unachievable corporate ladder. The same kid that at 26, pushed me to move to Hickory, NC, and help lead a lot of future leaders.

The same kid that last year, you just pushed, and pulled and dragged across the finish line when I had nothing left to give you.

I’m still here. Me, your project. You, my sweet serendipity.

In life things come and go. The wrong people leave, the right people stay. Your fruits come and are just as easily taken. But you my dear friend hustle, you have always stayed. For that I’m grateful, and even though it was just a few months, I promise I’ll never leave you again.

)

Mike Santos

Written by

Owner of Vega’s Enterprises. Avid business, philosophy and tech reader. Denver, CO-Mile High City.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade