Have you seen people that are simply too rich? I actually think we are too rich as a society overall. We have the ability to solve so many problems, much larger than we are attacking, for sure. But we are comfortable, complacent and unmotivated. Simply watch people’s behaviors, especially after some success, and tell me otherwise.
When did that hustle stop for most people? If you see someone that has to make something happen, they are out there hustling and pushing to get the success they seek. They ask for what they want. They are turning over stones to figure out what opportunities exist. They have that advantage of hustling.
Then there’s the danger of getting fat, happy and content. No hustle.
My observation of what happens when we are too rich is that new things happen for two reasons:
- A crisis
- An opportunity
If there’s a crisis, then you see immediate hustle. Sickness, IT problems, plumbing failures, and many other unforeseen circumstances that need fixing now gets those responsive businesses to respond. It’s reactive work, but you have built-in demand from the probabilities of someone somewhere wanting their pain fixed now.
I am not real fond of crisis businesses. They are definitely needed, but as a businessman, I would rather spend my time building greater value and opportunity for those with vision.
An opportunity tends to come along because someone had an idea and put it in context in front of someone that is not necessarily looking for it. Someone hustled and came up with an upside.
Most people are waiting for something to happen. Opportunities happen because someone is making something happen.
Catalyzing what is possible is exciting to me. You are bringing value by creativity, hustle and determination to make the unseen real.
Hustle is required because you have to move someone from what’s working now and have them evaluate risk. If, for no other reason, the risk is perceived because there are unknowns. The status quo could be miserable, but at least it is known, which is a peculiar comfort to human beings often times.
If you sell opportunity, then your hustle has to be around creating attention, conversations and presentation around your idea. You have to be compelling. You are competing against all the options out there that cloud people’s minds. It’s thrilling to create movement that would not happen without you. And it’s important work. You are making something happen for the world of waiters and dreamers.
Action is contagious. I love creating movement and though I have had much success, I never want to sit around waiting for things to happen. That’s a form of death to me and you can see so many lethargic souls resign themselves to inertia when they used to have more hustle in their lives before success.
But the great news is that with so many people that give into complacency, you can differentiate yourself with a strategy of continuous hustle. Be the one with the ideas and the person who is sharp enough and adept to make those ideas happen.
Build and exchange value. It’s an exciting part of life I can’t imagine simply conceding because of the lure of mundane comfort. See you out there.