Hustle vs Anti-Hustle

In the context of a startup, not all work is created equal. It's crucial to distinguish between "hustle" – activities that directly contribute to acquiring customers and growing the business – and "anti-hustle" – activities that feel productive but don't move the needle on the most important metrics.

Hustle

Hustle is the relentless pursuit of what needs to be done right now to move the business forward. For an early-stage startup, this almost always means focusing on activities that lead to paying customers.

Examples of hustle include:

• Direct sales: Reaching out to potential customers and asking for the sale.
• Content marketing: Creating and distributing content to attract and convert customers.
• Networking: Building relationships with potential customers, partners, and influencers.
• Customer feedback: Talking to customers to understand their needs and improve the product.

Hustle is about doing the hard, often uncomfortable work that is necessary for growth.

Anti-Hustle

Anti-hustle activities are the things that entrepreneurs often do to avoid the hard work of hustle. They can feel productive, but they don't actually contribute to the bottom line.

Examples of anti-hustle include:

• Endless tweaking: Constantly redesigning the website or logo.
• Building unnecessary features: Adding features that no one has asked for.
• Attending networking events without a clear goal: Socializing without a purpose.
• Reading about startups instead of building one: Consuming content without taking action.

The key to success is to be honest with yourself about whether you're engaging in hustle or anti-hustle. Are you doing what's necessary, or are you doing what's comfortable? A bias for action and a focus on Focus on paying customers are the antidotes to anti-hustle.