I've always admired people who get more done in less time. We're in hustle mode in our startup right now but I still try to block out time that feels wide open to keep an eye on where we're headed and wind down a little. No use in racing ahead if it's a dead end road.

To continue the vehicular metaphor, it feels like hustle culture advocates burying the needle in the red zone, even though that's the least efficient point on the power curve. And even though that's less a predictor of success than what direction you're headed in.

There are absolutely times when you and your team need to live in the red zone of your tach. But really that's a temporary solution to being caught in the wrong gear. Amazing opportunity, can't upshift = gotta floor it anyways. But curves ahead = can't floor it. All depends.

Hmm. That metaphor actually did OK.