The Grind Is Crushing You: How to Avoid Grinding the Wrong Things

Estimated Read Time: 5 mins

Let’s talk about the “grind.” It’s glorified, romanticized, and worn like a badge of honor. But have you stopped to ask yourself: What are you actually grinding?

The literal definition of "grind" is to crush something into small particles. Let that sink in. If you’re grinding every day without strategy, what’s really being crushed? Your goals? Your inefficiencies? Or... yourself?

Believe me, I get it. The hustle culture is seductive. It celebrates working hard, pushing through, and giving your all. But here's the kicker: success isn’t about running yourself into the ground. The most successful leaders and business owners aren’t the ones who simply work the hardest—they’re the ones who work intentionally on the right things.

When Hard Work Goes Wrong

Yes, hard work is essential. But hard work without direction? That’s a recipe for burnout, inefficiency, and wasted potential. Grinding for the sake of grinding often leads to:

• Burnout: You’re exhausted, but the results still feel out of reach.

• Diminishing Returns: You work harder and harder but seem to make less and less progress.

• Missed Opportunities: Being so busy “doing” that you miss what’s actually most important.

In 2016, a year after I quit my full-time job to start something new (I say “something” because I didn’t know if it was a business, a nonprofit, or something else entirely), I felt a sharp pain in my chest for days. No chest pain could keep me from grinding, though—until I ended up in the emergency room. The scans showed blood clots in my lungs that “lit up like a Christmas tree,” as the doctor put it.

Even while hooked up to machines in a hospital bed, I had a family member bring me my laptop so I could keep working. When the doctor came in, he stared at me in disbelief. “What are you doing?” he asked. Without looking up, I replied, “Working.”

He pulled up a chair next to me and gently said, “Work can wait. Stress is an indirect but powerful contributor to blood clots. What happens to your work if you’re no longer here?” His words weren’t groundbreaking, but the concern in his voice made me pause. Sitting there, surrounded by hospital equipment, I realized I couldn’t keep grinding like this. I had to redefine hard work if I wanted to be sustainable—for myself and for my vision.

Redefining the Grind

Here’s the good news: grinding doesn’t have to mean losing yourself in the process. What if, instead of crushing yourself, you used the grind to break your goals into smaller, more manageable pieces? Think of it like this: grinding should build momentum, not dust.

• Big Vision, Small Steps: Overwhelmed by a massive goal? Break it down into bite-sized tasks. Start small, gain clarity, and celebrate each win along the way.

• Focus on the Right Things: Ask yourself daily: “Is this moving me closer to my long-term goals?” If the answer is no, it’s time to pivot.

• Balance Action with Strategy: Hard work without strategy is like rowing without a map. Sure, you’re moving, but are you headed in the right direction?

A New Way to Grind

The grind isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about working smarter, with focus and intention. Imagine a grind that empowers instead of exhausts, that transforms overwhelming tasks into opportunities for clarity and progress. That’s how you crush goals without crushing yourself.

Take a Moment to Reflect

Are you grinding toward your goals or grinding yourself into the ground? What feels overwhelming right now, and how can you “grind” it into manageable steps? To get started, we’ve created The Empowered Grind Template, a free goal breakdown resource that will help you align your efforts with your bigger vision.

Start building a grind that works for you—not against you. Let’s leave the badge-of-honor burnout behind. You’re made for more than the grind.