Unpopular opinion: That 'rise and grind' quote from Gary Vee did more harm than good for me

Last month my car broke down on I-75 in Detroit at 6 AM. I had to sit there for two hours waiting for a tow. The whole time I kept thinking about that Gary Vee quote about hustling every second. But honestly, sitting there made me realize maybe the 'never stop' mindset actually burned me out. I lost three days of work because I was so fried I couldn't focus. The quote sounds great on a poster but in real life it made me ignore basic stuff like maintenance and rest. Which side do you land on, does that kind of hustle talk help you or just make you feel guilty when stuff goes sideways?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_kim12d ago

Double down on what you said about it making you feel guilty, that's the real killer right there. When things fall apart and you're already pushing yourself past your limits, that quote just makes you feel like a failure for being human instead of actually helping you get through it. It took me a while to figure out that rest isn't the enemy, it's the thing that keeps you from burning out and losing three days like you did.

sagelane12d ago

Sat down on my couch last week after a "quick five minute break" and woke up four hours later with my face stuck to the cushion. Didn't even feel tired until I literally couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. That whole guilt thing about resting is exactly why I kept ignoring my body until it just shut down on me.