Hustling

 

I think maybe it is time to explain what I mean by hustle as it is evidently not a shared point of common vocabulary, at least not in use.

When I say hustle

I don’t mean hoodwinking, tricking, hornswoggling, conning, or deceiving anyone in any way. I mean I *can* mean that by the word but that is not what I mean generally speaking.

 

No, when I say “hustle” I mean a very specific range of behaviors.

Hustling is when you have to track down your source of income. You have to engage it in conversation, you have initiate negotiations whereby you offer to provide a service in exchange for which you get paid. 

IT is barter pure and simple.  It is the most basic, most fundamental form of the so-called “gig economy,” there is.

(Yes sometimes they come to you but generally if they are coming to you, you don’t need to be hustling for much longer, unless you just don’t know what you are doing.)

 But hustling is when you have to chase the job and the money down and work out both right there on the spot.

If you’ve been part of the gig economy (and most of you reading this have at one time or another) then this should sound familiar.  Most freelancing comes down to this, unless you have a decent reputation and respect to match.  If you’ve had to work day labour, this will sound VERY familiar. There are a lot of ways this is implemented in our society. 

 If you are hustling then you have to find where the work is, go to the work, talk to the work, and regardless of if there is any or not, negotiate to get work,  in exchange for goods or services. Full stop. 

If you have the luxury of skipping any of these steps you’re pro’lly not hustling but are likely over a barrel.  If you have an agent – here meaning someone, anyone, that is helping you, you’re not the one doing the hustling. 

 If you have a job, it may suck but you’re not hustling.  If you have the luxury of knowing when you will next get paid no matter what you do, it’s not hustling. 

If you are living from commission to commission, you’re hustling.  

 

 

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