Fuck the Hustle: Hitting Revenue Targets without Losing Yourself
Hustle culture has made us all believe there’s a single path to success – marked by 4 a.m. wakeups, cold plunges, and non-stop grinding.
There’s no badge of honor for working 12 hour days until you retire, but there is something to be said for doing your job well without sacrificing everything else.
How Do I Know?
I’ve lived it.
I’m the guy who has tried all of these “hacks” in the name of closing more deals and making more money.
Guess what? It didn’t work.
It took me 3 sales jobs and 1 clinical burnout diagnosis to figure out how to win without the needless hustle.
You see… all these pro-hustle “gurus” and “coaches” danced all around the point with their hard calendaring.
Here are the keys to winning more deals without losing yourself:
Take Care of Yourself First
We’re replaceable.
If you die tomorrow, your job will be posted by the end of the week.
Boo-hoo. Now that we have that out of the way – You will never regret taking time for yourself and then for your family and friends.
Build in an hour everyday to do something you truly enjoy and an hour everyday to do something that makes you better.
I spend an hour playing music, an hour playing video games, and an hour in the gym – EVERYDAY. Even if you can only build in 15 minutes between meetings, go outside and take a walk.
Disconnecting from work to be with yourself will improve your performance and your mood. Spending time doing things you love will
make you easier to be around – for everyone in your life.
Have a System
The problem with making 500 cold calls a day or sending 1000 emails or 100 inmails is: activity doesn’t pay the bills.
Being busy for no reason is a one-way ticket to burn out.
Flip the script.
Prioritize the activities that generate revenue and dedicate time to them everyday.
This isn’t the only right system, but it’s one I run.
25 x 3 x 8
25 Targeted Accounts
3 Decision Makers
8 Omni-Channel contact attempts
I know the accounts I want, who I need to speak with at each account, and how many times I’ll reach out before I replace that account/DM on my list.
Use this system or make your own.
The important thing is to have a system.
Be Consistent
Playbooks don’t matter if we don’t run the plays – everyday.
The first two hours of my workday are always the same.
8:00 – 9:00 LinkedIn Follow-Up
9:00 – 10:00 Prospecting
Many successful sellers split outreach into email, call, and social blocks.
Do what works for you, and do it daily.
Don’t Compromise Yourself
You’ve decided on the activities that fill your cup and make you better.
You’ve chosen a prospecting system that’s a bit more strategic than 500 random cold calls.
You’ve made a commitment to yourself to do these things everyday.
What now?
I’m so glad you asked.
This is where hard calendaring comes in.
Block time to prospect.
Block time for wellness.
Block time for meetings.
Block time for deep-work.
Block time for admin work.
Block time to keep yourself from working 12 hour days.
Celebrate the Little Wins
Most of you won’t close deals every single day. If you do, skip this part.
For the rest of us, selling can be a difficult business with “yeses” carrying us through a sea of “nos”.
It can be easy to feel like you’ve accomplished nothing after a day of prospecting with no closed won deals.
What little accomplishments eventually lead to revenue and are worth celebrating?
Here are the things I celebrate and track to reflect on at the end of the day:
- Personalized video messages sent (10)
- Meetings booked (3)
- Meaningful prospect conversations (3)
- New sales opportunities created (1)
Reflecting on these wins daily helps keep burnout at bay.
Run That Back
This article isn’t meant to be all-encompassing, and it won’t make you a millionaire.
I’ve used these learnings to source and close multiple 6 figure deals and national partnerships.
I work 8 – 9 hours a day while prioritizing my own mental health and time with my family.
I don’t read self help books, and I play video games after my son goes to sleep at night.
Success looks different for everyone.
Don’t buy into the bullshit that any guru can give you the silver bullet calendar to make you rich.
Instead, use the tips here to improve your quality of life and stay employed as a high-quality sales-person.
Fuck the Hustle.
Be intentional.
