I was golfing with a friend recently, and we were discussing life and the people we know who are on the same hectic track I’ve been on these past few days—feeling like they’re doing too much. He told me about a question he’d asked someone who’s ultra-successful but worked 100 hours a week: “At what point do you get to live life?”
This question stuck with me because one of my recurring messages is literally the opposite of what I’ve been doing these past few days. We live in a culture of hustle mentality and grind culture, and I think it’s fool’s gold. You’ve heard the phrase “burning both ends of the candle,” but think about that. If you actually laid a candle on its side and burned it at both ends, what would happen? You wouldn’t have any more light than just burning one end. But you’d burn the candle out so much faster. That’s exactly what happens when we get into grind mode, putting in all these extra hours and going hard. We’re not getting more results; we’re simply burning ourselves out faster.
Finding Peace Over Hustle
A mentor once told me, “Baylor, as long as you have this hustle mentality, you’ll always be broke.” He explained that being broke isn’t just about the amount of money in your bank account. You can hustle your way to make a lot of money, but you’ll be broke mentally and spiritually. A hustle mentality comes from a place of desperation, a place of insufficiency—you need more, so you have to keep doing this. You’re always on. He said, “As long as you’re hustling, Baylor, you’ll never find peace. But once you find peace, all the other pieces in your life will fall into place.”
It took years to understand what he was saying, but it boils down to this: you have to slow down. Life goes fast, but if you go as fast as life is going, all you’ll do is miss out on everything. Like in the Las Vegas airport, those horizontal escalators move you faster. But if you walk fast on them, you get to the other side quicker but miss out on some cool sights. That’s the approach we take to life. Even when things are going our way, we think we have to go even faster and do even more.
Being Present in the Moment
I was on a trip to Machu Picchu with my sister. We were in the Andes mountains in Peru, and I was racing to the top to see the sunrise. My sister, on the other hand, took her time, enjoying all the sights. We reached the top at the exact same time, but I missed out on all the time it took to get there because I was just focused on reaching the top. Meanwhile, she enjoyed the journey, saw all the birds, animals, and trees.
I don’t want to live a life where I’m in such a hurry that I don’t see anything. Have you ever been in a car that’s going fast? You literally can’t see anything. That’s what happens in life if you continue to go too fast. You won’t get there any quicker than anyone else, but you’ll miss everything.
Evaluating What Truly Matters
I challenge you to ask yourself: which numbers count in your life? We often judge ourselves by the number of hours worked, the amount of money made, or the number of sales. But what about the numbers that truly matter? The number of hours spent with loved ones, pursuing your passions, or outside of your job? If we looked at those numbers, many of us would find ourselves bankrupt. We spend so much time working that we neglect the reasons and people we’re working for. Eventually, you realize you missed out on life and people. They won’t wait around forever.
Focus on Quality Over Quantity
This isn’t about balance because I’m not sure that’s even a real thing. But we have to keep in mind what matters. When you focus on what matters, you become more efficient with your work. It’s not about doing less work; it’s about doing more in a shorter amount of time.
Instead of focusing on doing more, focus on doing now. Today, ask yourself how much quality you can put into right now. Whether it’s listening to a podcast, talking to a loved one, or working—be present. The cumulative effect of focusing on the now will show that you got more out of life and, more importantly, with the right people.
Thank you for reading this edition of Shark Bites: Midweek Lessons for a Stronger Mindset! If you enjoyed these insights, be sure to listen to the Shark Theory Podcast, where Baylor Barbee dives deeper into the topics that matter most for your personal and professional growth. Tune in for powerful episodes designed to inspire and elevate your mindset.
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