These days, everyone is hustling. People are making money “on the side” or at the weekend in a desperate bid to get ahead. 

But does any of it make sense? Arguably not. While hustle culture is great for making money, it doesn’t usually pay off in the long-term, according to https://www.fastcompany.com/. People get burned out and can’t sustain it. They find it difficult to constantly work all the time, perhaps coming up for air just a couple of hours a week. Eventually they get to the point where they question why they’re living the way that they are. 

In this post, we argue that you should forget hustle culture and just focus on having a great career. Here’s why.

Hardly Anyone Builds Serious Wealth Short Term

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While there are a few tech billionaires dotted around, the majority of people build wealth over the long-run. It takes many years for them to amass capital so that they can live off the accelerating income that it produces. 

For instance, it takes the average millionaire around 30 years to hit their goal. During that time, they’re saving and investing almost continuously. 

Taking a regular career is much more likely to lead you to financial freedom because it is more secure, predictable and long-term. You’re not just grinding and grinding, doing difficult work out of hours. Instead, you’re patiently going through the process. 

Careers Offer Better Working Conditions

Working conditions for people who hustle are generally unfavorable. You have to pick up gigs here and there, and the people you work for see you more as a contractor than an employee.

But when you work as an employee, you avoid all those pitfalls. You have things like vacation rights, insurance, and even car allowances. You get a lot more in return than you would working random gigs. 

Careers Allow You To Develop Your Skills

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With careers, you also go on an upward trajectory. You engage in regular training which improves your skills and makes you even more valuable to employers in the future.

As https://www.copas.org/online-cpe-courses-for-accountants// explains, accountants can massively increase their value over time. By learning new skills, they’re able to take on more lucrative work and maintain their professional standing. They’re also able to apply for more senior management positions and so on. 

Careers Give You Security

For some people, the goal isn’t just to amass a fortune – it’s to gain some semblance of security. You want to feel financially sound in your life, no worrying about where the next paycheck is going to come from. 

When you work for yourself or you spend all your time hustling, that’s a real risk. However, when you have a career, you’re much more likely to get a stable paycheck. 

Careers Don’t Prevent You From Becoming Wealthy

Lastly, it’s worth pointing out that careers don’t necessarily prevent you from becoming wealthy. As financial experts like to point out, it’s not what you earn, but what you keep that matters. Over time, virtually anyone can build a big enough savings pot to generate some real wealth.