“Girl, are you napping?”
Just a few days ago, after wrapping up a morning packed with meetings, and before an afternoon full of client follow-ups, I laid down to take a nap. Before I could get comfortable, my phone rang. It was a friend FaceTiming me.
As I rolled over to answer, the disdain in her voice caught me by surprise. “Are you napping?” hung in the air like bad perfume. Had I done something wrong? Snapping me back to reality, she went on about her disbelief that, in today’s current climate, there was way too much work to be done to take midday naps. Once I finally grasped what her issue was, all I could do was laugh. Yes, I was napping. And, if it’s one thing about me, when I’m not changing a dirty diaper or tending to my husband, I’m sleeping. Long gone are the days where I ran on nothing but coffee and vibes, all in the name of getting the task done.
But in her world, one where hustle culture dictated everything, taking a moment for myself, even with a long list of to-do’s left to be tackled was unheard of. And I wish that wasn’t the case. Over the years, I’ve grown to be incredibly methodical in my approach to my work, first ensuring that the human at the heart of it is taken care of, first and foremost. Even though we’re both founders, it was clear that we shared vastly different definitions of “locking in.” As a new mother and wife, the only thing I’m trying to be locked into is leading with and maintaining healthy habits that allow me to go the distance.
By now, I’m sure we’ve all seen the endless posts from industry leaders and coaches, alike, across every social media platform getting us pumped and ready for the “Great Lock-In.” It would seem as though, with summer festivities quickly fading, and the routines of the colder months starting to return, everyone seems eager to “lock-in.” At its core, it’s a harmless trend, and a great way to get us serious about our goals—whether financially, personally, or career-wise—as we shed our bad habits or modify the ones needing adjusting as we head into Q4.
While I applaud everyone for wanting to end their year on a high-note, it’s equally as important that we dissect our approach to goal and career building when we let (short-term) viral trends lead the way. Don’t get me wrong. At one point in my career, I may not have been the president of “hustle culture,” but I was absolutely an executive board member. It was invigorating. There was nothing like devoting your every waking breath to seeing your ideas and dreams come to life. I lived for it, and I loved every second of it. Until I didn’t. So much of the life I was building was done on a public stage that the cheers sometimes became my motivation when I needed to keep going; when I wanted to push through fatigue when my body was desperately screaming for rest. But in those days, rest was synonymous with failure, and I was determined to never fail.
If I’m being honest, as much as I had faith in my dreams ever since I was a young, budding writer, in some (very small) ways, a bit of my motivation to “make it” was based on ego. And if more of us were honest, we’d admit that far too much of hustle culture is based on the public perception of persistent “hard” work. But, if we did, we’d quickly realize that, with the right plan, the work isn’t supposed to be hard at all. What the “Great Lock-In” asks us to be is consistent for the next 4 months when, in actuality, that should be the foundation of anything you seek to achieve, big or small, fleeting or long-term.
In my younger days, of course, my goals were much different than they are now. Back when I started my career as a mentor, public-speaker, and ghostwriter, most days were a blur as I maneuvered from one title to the next. But today, not only do I still wear those hats, I’ve also added about 10 others that all require a completely different, clearer version of me.
This season of my life requires consistent effort that leads to greater control and sustained productivity without burnout. As an ex-hustler, I recognize all the ways it can lead us to become one-track minded. When we’re so “locked-in” to the rush of checking off boxes, we aren’t getting to the core of our needs or what’s required for careful, honest, and sustainable work-life integration.
When our focus is on keeping up with the noise attached to viral, social trends, we neglect the consistent, long-term work necessary to build structures that reduce the need for constant “locking in.” There are endless pathways to success, yes, and it will vary for each and everyone of us. But what holds true is that success is very rarely achieved when it’s reactionary, and not led by an honest evaluation of your needs.
In your quest for career and personal breakthroughs, know that rest is an integral part of any creative process, and give yourself the freedom to reject behaviours and mindsets that lead to burnout or creative fatigue. Take the time to get clear on your goals as you build the systems, structures, and discipline needed to last beyond a 75-hard or lock-in season.
Remember, success isn’t achieved in quick sprints to the finish line when your goals require a steady and strategic pace to make it all the way through to the end of the marathon.
A BIT ABOUT ME: Hi! My name is Pauleanna Reid. I’m the founder and chief storyteller at WritersBlok where I lead an all-women of color team of celebrity ghostwriters. As a collective, we help industry leaders and doers who are shaping the future turn their personal stories into brand assets so they can stay relevant in a noisy world, communicate to their audience at scale, and turn any conversation into a meaningful and profitable lead. Clients truly trust me with their reputations and their legacies. In fact, when they want to speak up on a hot topic and shake the room, I’m the woman they call. Many of them have me on speed dial, why don’t you?