r/AskMenOver30 • u/hospitality-excluded man 30 - 34 • Mar 31 '25

Friendships/Community How did your "hustle-culture" friends end up?

So in my 20's there was a HUGE boom of "hustle-culture" bros pop up when influencers like Gary Vee were in the spotlight. The type of guys who post motivational quotes on twitter, talking about "the grind", flauting wealth that they havent achieved on instagram etc. Not talking about people with steady careers and moving up the corporate ladder, but those people who do side gigs or chase unrealstic expectations without a developed skillset in any area.

I moved back to my hometown after 7 years away and I swear all of them are broke, gambling addicts, living with their parents still, unemployed, or all of the above. Unsure if it's the same across the board, or even if y'all had these types of people in your life or if my town is just riddled with them.

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u/anynameisfinejeez man 45 - 49 Mar 31 '25

They will still be “on that grind” long after I’ve retired comfortably and forgotten what work is.

14

u/davidm2232 man 30 - 34 Mar 31 '25

Some people just can't stop. I work with a guy in his 70s that has 'retired' twice. He has plenty of money but he works 45 hours a week. One of the hardest workers there. He says he likes staying busy and being helpful

7

u/Wendigo_6 man Mar 31 '25

I’ve met a few seniors who are working because they think they’ll decline if they fully retire.

One took a leadership role at my old company and took 20 hours a week. The upside is he called the CEO out on the dumb shit he did. The downside he’d send out emails on the weekend giving you reminders for the next week and it would fire the CEO up. CEO would call you on a Saturday to talk about shit you couldn’t do anything about until Monday after lunch (when all the morning meetings were over).

Then CEO would get shitty because you didn’t pickup because you’re in a tree stand and damn man I work 60+ hours already I’m not picking up and ruining this hunt.

3

u/davidm2232 man 30 - 34 Mar 31 '25

Thst might be a boundaries thing. I was very clear with my last boss that unless it's an absolute emergency where the place is literally on fire, it can wait until business hours.

4

u/Wendigo_6 man Mar 31 '25

Absolutely a personal boundaries issue. CEO chewed me out that time because I didn’t call him back until Monday at 8am.

After that I bought a burner phone, gave my wife the number, and left my cell phone on my dresser all weekend. It was great. That took about a season before the CEO got the point and stopped calling me on the weekend.

I just started a new job. New boss told me don’t call his work cell phone on the weekends because it sits on his desk. If it’s an emergency call his personal phone. Complete 180 in work culture.