The Hustle Culture Hangover: Are We Finally Done the Grind?

For years, hustle culture sold us the dream: work harder, sleep less, grind now, enjoy later. It was all about the rise and grind mentality, glorifying 5 a.m. wake-up calls, overbooked calendars, and side hustles stacked on top of full-time jobs. If you weren’t exhausted, were you even trying?

I know all too well—I was part of that hustle long before it became a full-blown trend. I lived the bustle, and trust me, there were moments when I felt like I was losing my mind.

But lately, there’s been a shift. Burnout seems to no longer be a badge of honour. The girl-boss era has been replaced with quiet luxury, and people are trading their “grindset” for a soft life. So, the real question is—are we finally over hustle culture? And if so, what comes next?

The Problem with Hustle Culture (That We All Ignored for Too Long)

At its core, hustle culture promised control: over our time, our success, our bank accounts. It told us that if we just worked hard enough, we could have it all. The problem? It never accounted for the cost.

• It blurred the line between ambition and self-worth. Your productivity became your value. Slowing down? That felt like failure.

• It sold us on endless growth—but at what expense? More money, more goals, more hustle…but never more rest.

• It turned self-care into another to-do list. Meditation, workouts, and journaling weren’t about feeling good—they were about optimizing performance.

And then, the pandemic happened. A lot of people were forced to pause. Suddenly, we weren’t rushing to work, grinding at networking events, or stacking up side hustles. And guess what? The world didn’t end.

Soft Success: Is it the New Way Forward?

So, if we’re leaving hustle culture behind, what are we replacing it with? Enter soft success—an approach that prioritizes ambition without self-destruction. It’s about working well, not just working hard. Here’s what that looks like:

1. Doing Well Without Doing the Most

Success doesn’t have to come from overworking—it can come from slow sustainable growth and working smarter. Setting boundaries, automating tasks, and knowing when to say no are powerful moves. More effort doesn’t always mean more results.

2. Making Money Without Making It Your Whole Personality

There’s a difference between financial ambition and financial obsession. Wealth isn’t just about income; it’s actually about freedom—freedom to live, rest, and enjoy. Hustle culture told us to chase endless numbers, but soft success asks: What’s your actual number you need to be comfortable? When is enough, enough?

3. Productivity Without the Guilt

Rest isn’t a reward for being burnout. Rest is a necessity. Taking breaks, moving at your own pace, and having unproductive moments? That’s not laziness—it’s sustainability. Its healthy. 

4. Defining Success for Yourself

Not everyone wants to be a CEO. Not everyone wants to retire at 40. And that’s okay. Success isn’t one-size-fits-all, and the moment you stop chasing someone else’s version of success, the closer you get to your own.

When my husband and I finally took a step back, we had to ask ourselves: What was our number? Why did we get into business in the first place? For us, it started as a backup plan—financial security in case my injury made retirement more difficult. But somewhere along the way for me, it turned into an obsession. An obsession with money. 

And the problem with our hustle? It was taking years of our lives away—years that could have been spent making memories with family and friends. I wouldn’t say I regret it all, but I do know this: there comes a time when enough is enough. I also know that I don’t want to be 80, still hustling, and wondering where my time went.

So…Are We Finally Done with Hustle Culture? 

Maybe not entirely. There will always be people who thrive on the grind, and that’s okay. I do love being busy too. But the glorification of working yourself into the ground? That’s fading. More and more people are choosing balance, fulfillment, and a success story that doesn’t require total exhaustion. 

This may look like smaller homes, living at home longer with family, or embracing minimalism—it’s all about redefining what success truly means to you.

What about building a life you don’t need a vacation from? Could that be the new dream? It at least sounds a whole lot better than burnout. 

photo by Tima Miroshnichen on Pexels.