If living out one’s purpose was easy, everyone would be doing it. But it is not easy. Even if you know what your purpose is, you might not know how to live in that purpose. It may feel like there are a lot of obstacles in the way of the difference you want to make. That is where hustle comes into play. Purpose is WHY you do something. Hustle is HOW you get it done. So, you’ve gotten to the point where you can name your purpose. You know what lights you up, and have pieced together how your unique passions, skills and experiences can be channeled to have the most positive impact on the world, but how do you pull it off?
From my experience, hustle is the driving force behind positive change. Hustle is a propelling force that drives people to keep going, explore all angles of a problem, and not give up. When people come to me to ask about how to better live in their purpose, a lot of the concerns they raise are about how to deal with failure, fear, money, relationships and their calendars. They might not know it, but what they are really asking me about is how I pull off my hustle. Your hustle is essentially the way you choose to move in the world. It is how you get things done, in spite of all those perceived barriers. It is a hustle because it is constantly in motion, evolving and stretching.
These are my top three most important ways to start hustling to achieve your purpose:
Make something about your dream concrete.
It is not hard to dream. You can sit around and daydream all day and nothing will change. It is difficult to turn those dreams into reality. Dreaming is important; it is important to be able to see the world for what it could be, not just what it is. BUT, dreaming without action will not yield anything. Purposeful Hustlers learn how to push things out of their heads and into reality. If you have an idea for how to better live out your purpose, what is one concrete, tangible step you could take TODAY to get the ball rolling? Could you make a phone call to a potential collaborator? Or to a venue where you want to host an event? Could you start a Google Doc to begin building out the curriculum you’re dreaming up? Start with something! Commit to action, no matter how seemingly small or simple, and start today. Proving to yourself that you have the initiative and follow-through to make bring your purpose to life will motivate you to continue to hustle.
Don’t wait for permission.
If you are waiting around for permission from someone else to start living in your purpose, this is it!! (Also, you don’t need permission from anyone.)
When you are trying to make the world a better place, sometimes you have to just do it. Sometimes, people who are waiting around for permission don’t even know who they are waiting for permission from. Oftentimes, they are waiting for themselves! Trust yourself. Trust your truth. Follow your gut, and if an idea or project feels important to you and your purpose, then make it happen! Even if it feels unconventional or unexpected, don’t wait around for someone else’s approval. Boldly and fearlessly step into your purpose!
When you are hustling in your purpose, you not only take action, but you build momentum that energizes you and propels you forward. You get into what a lot of people will call flow, time almost feels like it is on a different continuum because you are highly motivated to see your purpose realized. You aren’t moving because you were told to or because you should, but because you feel like you have to! You feel invigorated. This is the liberation that comes from Purposeful Hustle that doesn’t wait for the go-ahead from someone else.
Embrace leadership and initiative.
If you take the first step with your hustle, it will oftentimes have a domino effect. A natural effect of hustling in your purpose is that it will inspire others to come alongside you and join in purpose-filled work. By exemplifying a Purposeful Hustle, you are setting an example that allows others to do the same. You are paving the way. Own that, and don’t hide from it. Allow your purpose to shine and to have as big of an impact as possible. Welcome others into your work. They will make the hustle feel worth it.
When you feel yourself getting stuck, full of ideas but lacking outcomes, listen to your inner hustler, and get after it!
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