Hustle & Float Quotes

“We have evolved into an unsustainable hybrid state, trying to be both productive and creative, when that might not be effective—or possible.”
― Rahaf Harfoush, Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work

“we are all susceptible to the influence of the three hidden forces: Systems, Stories, and Self. No amount of “fun policies” can counteract our most deeply held beliefs.”
― Rahaf Harfoush, Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work

“He identified six major factors that determine knowledge worker productivity: The ability to define their task. The autonomy to manage their own time. The need for continuing innovation. The need for constant teaching and learning. An emphasis on the quality of the work produced over quantity. The requirement that creative workers be recognized by the organization as assets rather than costs to be minimized. Sounds pretty great, right? There’s just one problem. As Drucker put it, “each of these requirements (except perhaps the last one) is almost the exact opposite of what is needed to increase the productivity of manual workers.” Yikes. He’s right. How can we, as creatives, excel in workplaces that equate performance with metrics like the”
― Rahaf Harfoush, Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work

“This obsession with measuring and optimizing productivity is not new. In the thirteenth century, Venetian merchants carefully calculated the difference between the costs of the sailing voyages they underwrote and the revenues they ultimately earned from the goods sold, one of the first iterations of the Return on Investment calculation (ROI). This practice gave birth to the double bill accounting system and the “Equity - Assets = Liability” equation that’s still used today to determine the profitability of a business.”
― Rahaf Harfoush, Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work

“In white water rafting, riders battle waves, heavy rapids, and unpredictable drops. They have to hustle hard to avoid obstacles, respond quickly to changing river conditions, and paddle with all of their strength to safely reach their destination. These heart-pounding bursts of strenuous activity are punctuated by periods of rest, when the water becomes calm enough that riders can float and enjoy the scenery. As any experienced river guide will tell you, the ideal trip is comprised of both hustle and floating—a balance between focused exertion and intentional recovery. Too much hustle leads to exhaustion that can jeopardize the split-second decision-making that’s needed to avoid injury. Too much float will result in a boring and aimless ride, devoid of challenge or purpose.”
― Rahaf Harfoush, Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work

“as manufacturing industries are replaced by a more specialized, knowledge-based economy, productivity alone can no longer provide a competitive edge. Hence the pursuit of creativity as a competitive advantage.”
― Rahaf Harfoush, Hustle and Float: Reclaim Your Creativity and Thrive in a World Obsessed with Work