Whether you’re Kobe practicing his conditioning at 3:30 a.m., slinging stocks on Wall Street, hacking away at your next product version, pulling all nighters to reconcile your client’s books, cleaning your food truck or anything in between, your hustle needs hydrating.
Hydrating your hustle is key to accomplishing the goals you have in your professional life. Regardless of whether you have endless ambition and grit, here are some ways to keep your hustle hydrated:
1. Dedicate creative time.
Creative time allows you to let your mind wander. My creative time consists of designing my own websites, playing around with new startup ideas and watching movies. Additionally, I love listening to music and reading. Throughout the week, I make sure to set time aside for these activities. They keep my mind fresh and motivation levels high.
Related: Don't Wish to Be Successful. Expect to Be.
2. Grow your network.
As I continue to develop a stronger network, I firmly believe that your network equals your net worth. Having a strong network allows you to meet more new people and opens up your resource pool. Having access to more people and resources allows you to do more faster.
3. Collaborate.
Collaboration is a way to recharge your career and can provide you the vehicle to get super creative. For instance, look at the brilliance Jay-Z and Linkin Park created with their Collision Course album. Or how about the odd, but effective, collaboration between 50 Cent and Robert Greene with The 50th Law. Don’t leave collaboration to just the rappers.
4. Find inspiration everywhere.
I build websites. I write articles. I create web and mobile products. I’ve learned to find inspiration in everything I do. For instance, I recently traveled to the U.K. and witnessed some of the most amazing architecture I have ever seen. The decor and style of some of the restaurants, hotels and stores we visited were unlike anything in the states. I took hundreds of pictures that week, and have used some of these images for inspiration in designing websites.
5. Listen to music.
Music is the most empowering tool humans have invented. Sometimes I like to just chill out and use music to soothe or motivate me. I listen to Robin Shulz to chilling out, Mozart helps me write business proposals, Tupac gets me hyped for whatever and Jay-Z helps turn up my overall business motivation. Check out one of my cloud mixes:
6. Read back stories.
I’m obsessed with reading the back stories of successful entrepreneurs, musicians, athletes and public figures. The back stories of these people help me understand what it took them to achieve their success, gives me insight into the people they are through the obstacles they faced and can help show that success can be obtained no matter how bleak a circumstance. Mark Wahlberg is a prime example.
Related: 5 Ways to Remain Motivated and Focused on Kicking Ass
7. Have fun.
Recently, I went to see a movie with my fiancee. Another night we grabbed dinner and walked around our little home city. The next night we went and saw a Flamenco show (I was pulled on stage, check out an excerpt from my night here), ate dinner and took salsa dancing lessons for an hour after that. My point is, there has to be room for fun in your life, or nothing matters because you'll end up a miserable person.
8. Take a week off from everything.
I recently went to Wales and England. I didn’t do any work, and just allowed myself to be fully present in my new surroundings. Just like with physical training, your professional mind needs breaks and rest. The week I took off was much needed, and provided an incredible surge of motivation upon my return. My mind was clear, organized and supercharged.
9. List your weekly accomplishments.
As an entrepreneur constantly on the go, I accomplish more things in a day than most people accomplish in a week. I’m sure that goes for all of you, too. It’s easy to lose sight of all that you accomplish.
Accomplishments can give fuel to your motivation, and provide vital vitamins to your hustle. The more I accomplish, the more motivated I get. The more I track my accomplishments, the more accomplishments I realize I am building. It’s an awesome motivation cycle that keeps building and compounding. I use a Google Spreadsheet to track my accomplishments.
10. Keep an idea notebook.
I learned this skill in prison. I didn’t have access to the Internet, nor a computer to track my ideas, so I kept a notebook. It helped me track all of my ideas, and helped me visualize them. Below is an image of my current notebook, where I track all of my different ideas. I follow the 10 idea rule per night to keep my creativity flowing.
“Hydrating your hustle” is figuring out how to say motivated, developing a relentless work ethic and even learning how to be creative. Developing these skills will help you accomplish any goals you have in life.
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