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Work | Hustle
Why Hustle Culture Is Just Anxiety in Disguise
I used to think being busy meant I was doing something right.
I thought long hours meant ambition. Constant tasks meant drive. No days off meant strength. But after a while, all it meant was that I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t relax. I couldn’t breathe.
Hustle culture taught me to wear stress like a badge. To treat burnout as a sign of progress. But behind the packed calendar and endless to-do lists, I wasn’t thriving — I was anxious.
And I’m not the only one.
Most people I know are exhausted. They wake up with their minds already racing. They check emails before getting out of bed. They eat lunch while replying to Slack messages. They feel guilty for resting. We’re all moving fast, but no one’s sure why.
Hustle culture tells you that your value comes from output. It says you are what you produce. It rewards overworking and praises urgency. But that pressure builds until you crack. Your mind runs loops of “Am I doing enough?” “What if I fall behind?” “What if someone else is working harder?”
That’s not motivation. That’s fear.
It’s anxiety. Dressed up as ambition.
We chase goals, not because we love them, but because we’re afraid of what it…
