Do you ever feel stressed because you're afraid you're not doing enough?

Not pushing hard enough?

Not working fast enough?

There are a lot of people out there pushing 80+ hour workweeks.

"Ya better work harder, because I'm burning the candle at both ends!"

"If you're not willing to work hard, competitors will eat your lunch!"

"Want to be average? Work 9-5!"

Frankly, I think the whole work-hard-to-succeed mantra is bullshit.

Why? Because of experience. I happen to know plenty of entrepreneurs who work 4 to 7 hour days, 4 or (maybe) 5 days a week, and take plenty of time off to do whatever the hell they want.

How?

Leverage. That magical word that gurus say, but few people know what the fuck it really means (including some of the gurus even).

The thing is, you're the entrepreneur. You're the boss. You're the strategist. So, strategize!

Think: How do you create a cash-flowing business in which you can work 4 to 7 hour days? Not "someday," but NOW?

That question isn't all that difficult to answer. There are plenty of models out there of people who don't "hustle hard" or "crush it" or do any other things that are better applied to football teams than entrepreneurs.

But the key is in the setup. If you haven't set up your business correctly, then you might just be boxed into a situation where you have to outwork everyone else, because hard work is your differentiator.

So think about what you do and the competition you face. Is hustle what separates you from the pack? If so, know that you're in for some long hours. And you better love that shit, cuz otherwise you'll burn out.

Or, you can reset your setup. Pivot your foundation. Choose a differentiator that doesn't require huge hustle...because you can a) drop it in the lap of prospects and they instantly get value, AND b) the execution of the thing can happen without you (or with very little input from you).

That's a dirty secret of many internet marketers trying to teach you sales and marketing. Mostly, growth is a function of the business foundation, not how hard you hustle to build the structure that sits on it.

It's like trying to grow a blade of grass to the height of a tree. If you don't start with the seed of a tree, then you're never going to get to the height of a tree.

Obvious, but often overlooked by founders.

Tired of hustling? Look at your foundation. Because if you want it to be easy, then you're going to have to design it to be easy from the start.