PURPOSEFUL HUSTLE BLOG

I want to talk about the biggest time suckers: meetings. I feel like there was a time in my life where all I did was go to meetings, meetings, and more meetings. I struggled to figure out when I could do my actual work.

Leaders are not made because of parking spot signs, titles, paychecks, age or even experience. I have found that people who are living their Purposeful Hustle are leaders. When you are so passionate about making a positive change in the world and are taking steps to make it happen, that kind of energy is contagious.

Over time — in my own experience and through others’ stories that they’ve shared with me — I’ve realized that it’s much easier to be excited about the potential results of our actions than it is to feel excited about the process required to make them happen. A lot of times, the process is actually really scary.

Today’s post is lifted from a 2015 speech I gave in 2015 to Pearls for Teen Girls, a Milwaukee-based organization that empowers young women with self-development tools, guidance, and support to strive for better futures. Frankly, I hadn’t thought about the speech until a few weeks ago when I ran into an awesome woman that was in the audience. She saw the talk and a part of it resonated with her so much she saved it on her phone and showed it to me nearly four years later! Talk about full circle!

Most things worth doing involve some kind of risk. Especially when we pursue projects that we care deeply about, it can feel a little scary to put ourselves out there like that. It is not unusual for Purposeful Hustlers to find themselves going against the grain to make a positive impact, but that doesn’t make it easy. Acting unconventionally can stir up self-doubt and attract the attention of others, not always in a good way. Many of the people who may question or express doubt don’t mean to do harm, but that doesn’t mean that their criticism is always productive.

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?

Have you ever heard of the 80/20 rule? It’s called the Pareto principle, and it states that roughly 80 percent of the effects come from 20 percent of the causes. This could be for anything: 80 percent of sales come from 20 percent of the customers, 80 percent of injuries are caused by 20 percent of hazards, 80 percent of points are scored by 20 percent of players on a team. You get the picture. The point is that a small concentration of energy, resources, talent or some other quality can create an immense impact.

The idea of keeping a tight schedule may seem daunting. Having every minute planned seems stressful and suffocating - that you’re sucking the fun out of life. However, I have found that managing a detailed schedule actually allows me to be MORE spontaneous. Weird, right?

Even for the Purposeful Hustler, managing time effectively can be a major struggle. We have endless to-do lists, only 24 hours in a day, and most importantly, a world to change! Every day can feel like a battle to just stay afloat, much less to swim forward. We are confronted with the most pressing question: Where do we even start?

We often talk about balance as if it’s the highest achievable goal, as if our life should be focused on maintaining this perfect sense balance. A lot of times, we even tell ourselves that if we lose balance, we will trip and fall and never be able to get back up again. We invest our time, energy and love into so many different aspects of our lives: career, family, health, relationships, (and God forbid even fun and adventure sometimes!), and we’re told we can “do it all” as long as we keep everything balanced. Balance work life and home life. Balance caring for others and caring for yourself. Balance being a mother, a daughter, a manager, a coach, a partner, and a friend.