Hustling harder isn't the answer. Why I'm taking a different approach

How I've learned to prioritise meaning over metrics.

Productivity. Discipline. Force.

These are things I used to worship.

I thought that putting in the work was all that was needed.

But slowly over time I merely succeeded in eroding my passion, undermining my curiosity and burning out.

I discovered that productivity is hollow without purpose.

Maximising time is meaningless if the time isn’t spent on what matters and energy is wasted if it’s poured into work that doesn’t fulfil you.

That’s why I’ve shifted my focus away from result and towards fulfilment.

---

My real introduction into the workforce started in luxury retail.

I’ve worked for high end brands such as Cartier and Burberry.

I learned many things from my years in the luxury industry:

• Less is more.

• Value is subjective

• Meaning is built through stories.

Luxury brands are masters of story telling.

By equating their products with values such as craftsmanship, excellence, and exclusivity customers happily pay a ridiculous premium.

They are not paying for the physical products. They are buying into the philosophy and the values these brands represent.

They are willing to pay thousands for a feeling.

A feeling of belonging.

For the perceived status it brings them and for the way it makes them feel about themselves.

These emotions are evoked through words. Through communication. Through writing.

Writing is the medium through which value is created, perceived and shared.

Crafting and guiding emotions is not something which can be rushed. It is a painstaking process.

It is also difficult to measure and does not fit into the modern productivity paradigm.

---

When chasing results makes you feel like crap.

As you might have guessed the customer and employee experience of said brands are worlds apart.

While they exude elegance and exclusivity for their clients they expect impeccable employees to achieve the impossible.

Aggressive sales targets and constant development meetings really ramped up the pressure.

The external facade was one based on evoking distinct positive emotions through their marketing.

The internal dynamics were productivity driven.

Staring at CRM dashboards, client retention rates and conversion graphs was how they measured the value of “relationships” and progress.

There was this weird mismatch between productivity and creativity. Between profit and relationships. Trust and reciprocity. Growth and growth. Always growth.

It in fact became a bit of a dirty word.

We found it difficult to celebrate closing huge sales because we knew that our targets would be increased because of this.

It was a never ending cycling of productivity growth and optimisation dressed up in a rich suit of sophisticated decadence.

I see it everywhere.

Not just in the luxury industry. It’s in the corporate world, the online space, especially in the creator economy and I’m here to tell you that it never ends well.

If you feel yourself going off track the only way to course correct is to slow down and pause.

While we search for more, better, improved…whatever… we loose sight of why we started in the first place.

When it comes to creating something meaningful things cannot be rushed.

In an age of relentless productivity, where speed and efficiency are hailed as the ultimate virtues, the idea of slowing down can feel radical.

Recalling products. Starting over. Taking pause to think. This can feel counterproductive.

But I’ve learned that slowing down has nothing to do with being unproductive.

If anything, slowing down demands a greater level of effort, focus, and care.

It’s about taking the time to produce your best, most meaningful work—not just churning out content for the sake of keeping up.

It’s about prioritising depth over volume, fulfilment over metrics, and quality over quantity.

And it requires something that’s increasingly rare in today’s world: Focus.

When you focus on what’s meaningful to you productivity takes care of itself. Discipline becomes irrelevant. Rigid schedules are not necessary and output flows without friction.

---

I am slow. I’m not afraid to admit it. I do not like skim reading. I do not listen to podcasts at 3x speed. I do not enjoy juggling multiple things at once.

My joy is found in deep focused attention.

The cultural narrative equates “slowing down” with laziness or a lack of ambition.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

Slowing down is about deliberate effort, about putting thought and care into your work.

The whole concept of luxury is about slowing down.

People will wait 3 years for a Rolex or Pattek Philip but they won’t wait 3 minutes for their coffee at Starbucks.

When you slow down:

- You’re not settling for surface-level answers—you’re digging deep.

- You’re not rushing to finish—you’re refining until it’s right.

- You’re not aiming for “good enough”—you’re striving for your personal best.

Thinking is not the enemy of action

Thinking and action are two sides of the same coin and you need both to navigate the world.

Getting caught up in productivity hustle cycles means you don’t have time to think and asses if you are going in the right direction.

By slowing down you give yourself the opportunity to think deeply and focus on what is meaningful to you.

Meaning is the key word.

If we’re honest there’s a hollowing sensation many of us feel in the modern world, a creeping sense of meaninglessness that’s hard to shake.

We scroll through endless feeds, consume seconds of advice stripped of context, and drown in the noise of productivity hacks and surface-level content.

Yet, despite the abundance of digital connection, something is missing:

• Real meaning.

• Real community.

• Real connection.

This cultural void isn’t just a symptom of technology or overstimulation—it’s deeper.

It stems from the way we’ve disengaged from the earnest pursuit of life itself.

To find our way back, to fill the gaps left by shallow interactions and surface-level efforts, we must return to something more profound: the act of trying—with all our heart.

To put everything into your work is to open yourself up to criticism and failure.

It’s scary and dangerous but that is the price we must pay.

Why the Zeitgeist Feels So Empty

We live in an era where community has eroded.

Traditional sources of belonging—close-knit neighbourhoods, extended families, communal rituals—have given way to fragmented, isolated lives.

Even if relationships are an integral part of our work the focus is on productivity metrics not on the relationships themselves.

Social media mimics community, but it often leaves us feeling lonelier.

The myth of individualism dominates.

We’ve been sold the idea that success is a solo pursuit, that self-reliance is the ultimate virtue.

• The solopreneaur.

• The one person business.

• The technology leveraging renaissance man.

But humans are wired for collaboration and connection. Without them, our achievements feel hollow.

If you have no one to share your successes with doesn’t that make them meaningless?

Humans are meaning-making creatures. At our core, we’re driven by the need to feel that our lives—and our efforts—matter.

This drive is what pushes us to create, to connect, and to contribute.

Psychologists call this intrinsic motivation: the deep satisfaction we feel when we engage in activities that align with our values, challenge our abilities, and connect us to something larger than ourselves.

This is why focused effort feels so fulfilling—it’s the antidote to meaningless productivity.

Prioritising Meaning Over Productivity

Western culture glorifies productivity, time management, and energy maximisation.

We’re told to optimise every moment of the day, to squeeze out as much output as possible.

But in the pursuit of “more,” we lose sight of what’s meaningful.

Here’s the truth:

• Productivity is hollow without purpose.

• Maximising time is meaningless if the time isn’t spent on what matters.

• Energy is wasted if it’s poured into work that doesn’t fulfil you.

Focused effort is about rejecting the tyranny of efficiency and embracing the pursuit of meaning.

It’s about creating work that feels significant, not just “done.” It’s about asking yourself, “What do I want to contribute to the world?”—and then pouring your effort into that.

The Courage to Try, Fully and Wholeheartedly

Slowing down, taking yourself seriously, prioritising meaning—these aren’t the easy paths.

They demand effort, vulnerability, and a willingness to confront discomfort.

But they also offer something far greater than the fleeting satisfaction of ticking a box or meeting a deadline: fulfillment.

Here’s why slowing down and putting your heart and soul into every action will bring you more fulfilment than any productivity hack ever will.

1. Recognise the Stakes

Understand that trying hard isn’t just about achieving goals—it’s about reclaiming your humanity.

When you pour your energy, emotions, and soul into your work, you’re not just creating—you’re resisting the forces that make life feel shallow.

2. Find Your Why

What drives you? What do you want to contribute to the world? When you anchor your creative efforts in a purpose larger than yourself, the act of trying becomes a source of joy rather than a chore.

3. Lean Into Vulnerability

Trying hard means opening yourself up to failure, criticism, and rejection. But it’s also what allows you to connect with others in a meaningful way.

Vulnerability is a strength, not a weakness.

4. Commit to the Process

Focused effort isn’t about perfection—it’s about improvement. Keep trying, even when it’s hard. Give your best, even when it feels like no one is watching.

Over time, this commitment to excellence will yield work that you can be proud of.

If there’s one thing the world needs now, it’s more earnest creators.

People who are willing to care deeply, to try hard, and to put their whole selves into their work.

This isn’t just about making art or writing stories—it’s about creating a life that feels meaningful and connected.

Ironically, the best way to maximize the value of your time and energy isn’t to optimize every moment or churn out more work—it’s to create with focused intensity.

When you put your full effort into what you do, you produce work that matters.

So, slow down.

Take yourself seriously.

Prioritise meaning over metrics.

It’s not the easiest path, but it’s the only one worth taking.

Thank you for reading.

If this resonated with you please share with others so that we can turn the tide against destructive productivity advice and forge a path towards deeper fulfillment

Enjoy the rest of your day.

Regards Benjamin.