Trying Vs. Hustling

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When my son was an infant, he was a good eater and he gained weight quickly. One day, Deirdre, my meditation teacher, overhead one of my family members calling him “chunky.” She objected saying that words matter – even if it was said affectionately long before he was verbal.

My son who is now seven-years-old recently won the “Hustle award” at baseball camp. It reminded me of Deirdre’s comment that words matter. What separates healthy ambition from hustling for your worth?

In this episode of the Life of Try podcast, I explore how effort driven by curiosity and courage feels different from striving for approval. Through insights inspired by Brené Brown and Dr. Vicki Atkinson, I dig in to how to recognize fear-driven productivity, step away from the pressure to prove ourselves, and choose a more wholehearted path to personal growth.

Key Takeaways:

  • How can we recognize when achievement is tied to self-worth?
  • What distinguishes purposeful effort from approval-seeking
  • How can we replace perfectionism with curiosity and courage
  • Use two simple questions (from the incredible Vicki Atkinson) to reconnect with gratitude and meaning

Links for this episode:

Stop Hustling For Your Worth: A Better Way to Grow transcript

In You Must Go: Harnessing the Force of Owning Our Stories by Brene Brown

Victoria Ponders – Dr. Vicki Atkinson’s blog

Related Episode

How to Finally Write the Book You’ve Been Dreaming About with Vicki Atkinson

Success isn’t always about finishing first. Sometimes the greatest victories belong to those who stay prepared, keep growing, and never stop trying.

(featured photo from Pexels)

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24 thoughts on “Trying Vs. Hustling”

  1. Good advice, Wynne. A first step is sometimes that you realize who you are, and what your motivation is: admitting to your self that you are preoccupied with obtaining the attention and approval from others. You might ask yourself if you are wasting your life, thereby.

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  2. So much to love here, Wynne. The “cold comfort” message will stick with me today…the things we do, the energy we expend without being selective about the “why”.
    Love those two questions for closing the day. They help me reset…again and again.
    Thanks for all the smiles and encouragement this morning. And kudos to Mr. D! Woohoo! 😉❤️😉

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  4. “… do not spend your one wild life auditioning for your own approval.”

    Such wise and compelling words, Wynne. I never thought about the difference between trying vs hustling – and you’ve laid it out in such a clear way as you always do on your podcast.

    I will admit that hustle culture is rampant and especially exacerbated on social media. Thankfully, one of things we (hopefully) learn as we get older, is to see what really matters and to focus on the real metrics of success that matter. 🙏

    Hope you’re all feeling better and enjoying your week!

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  8. You clearly differentiate between wholeheartedly trying and hustling, Wynne. I think of hustling as the Hare (trying to prove something) and the pure “trying” as the Tortoise (who is comfortable with himself.) Maybe trying is a little harder and a little slower, but who wins?

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  11. Oh, I love the idea of replacing perfectionism with curiosity and courage. Perfectionism creates so much anxiety, whereas curiosity turns mistakes into data points rather than reflection of our self-worth.

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