By Blake Hollingsworth | Staff Writer
Hustle culture is a popular lifestyle mindset that emphasizes “productivity, ambition and success, with little regard for rest, self-care or any sense of work-life balance,” according to Talkspace therapist Dr. Olga Molina. Society’s obsession with productivity has led young workers to neglect their personal well-being, as a 2023 Deloitte survey found that half of Gen Z workers have left jobs due to mental health concerns. More alarmingly, this ideology tempts Christians to prioritize their work over their relationship with God.
In recent years, platforms like TikTok and LinkedIn push content toward young adults, glorifying nonstop productivity and six-figure salaries, often at the cost of sleep, social lives and mental health. As a result, 39% of Gen Z workers now hold both a full-time job and a side hustle, citing financial security and future goals as key motivators, according to a 2023 EY survey.
This kind of content drives young professionals to overwork themselves while promoting lofty goals as the modern standard for success. While there’s nothing wrong with dreaming big, this overly ambitious standard causes discouragement, self-doubt and the toxic belief that one’s success is defined by money alone. Jordan Grumet, M.D., believes falling short of society’s definition of success doesn’t make someone a failure.
“What the gurus won’t tell you is that most of these goals require a mix of timing, luck and sometimes even genetics,” Grumet said. “No matter how hard you hustle, success isn’t always within your control.”
These unreasonable standards can lead employees to equate their self-worth with career success and ultimately lose their sense of purpose. This, in turn, fuels idolatry — placing achievement above our creator. Scripture tells us that our worth isn’t something we earn, but something given by God. Ephesians 1:4 says that God chose believers in Christ before the creation of the world, with the purpose of them being holy and blameless before Him.
God gave us His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), not because we earned it, but because we couldn’t. In our brokenness and inability to make ourselves worthy, He chose to love and redeem us anyway. In light of that, our true value comes not from productivity, but from being children of God.
All hope is not lost for Gen Z workers, though. Many are beginning to recognize the toll that hustle culture has taken on their well-being and are seeking a different path, according to a January article by The Guardian. Rather than constantly job-hopping and seeking marginal gains, young workers are increasingly prioritizing stability, purpose and alignment with their values. Many now seek long-term roles that foster community, fulfillment and respect for their humanity and spirit.
For students experiencing exhaustion or emptiness from hustle culture, Baylor’s Counseling Center offers free support for students, and campus ministries like Vertical or Reformed University Fellowship provide community and spiritual grounding. Success isn’t worth sacrificing peace, relationships or faith. As Psalm 127:2 says, “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for he grants sleep to those he loves.”
