I remember the first time I read that quote.
I was neck-deep in a demanding digital marketing job, the kind of role where I’d clock in early, skip lunch to answer emails, and stay late prepping for the next day’s client calls.
Vacation felt like a distant, magical realm that belonged to someone else.
Meanwhile, I was living in a constant state of “maybe next year.”
At some point, that existence starts to feel draining. The problem was, I’d learned to associate success with always being “on” — always hustling, always busy, always climbing to the next rung.
Yet, Seth Godin’s words flipped a switch in my brain. What if success wasn’t about outworking everyone else, but about creating a life you genuinely enjoy living every single day? Could that be more than just a pipe dream or a cliché from a motivational poster?
The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that this was the key question many of us skip: Why do we keep chasing the next break or the next weekend getaway, instead of building a day-to-day we don’t have to run from?
The trap of hustle culture
I’d spent years working in environments that championed “hustle.” This concept is so pervasive — social feeds are full of “rise and grind” memes, morning show segments about waking up at 5 a.m. to get a jump on the day, and success gurus peddling 80-hour workweeks as a virtue.
Sure, discipline and perseverance are crucial to achieving big goals.
But hustle alone can also backfire, leaving you exhausted and disconnected from what initially fueled your ambition.
It took me a while to realize that success shouldn’t be measured by hours logged or “busyness” displayed. Instead, success might be better reflected in how your life feels on an ordinary Tuesday—in how balanced, fulfilling, and (dare I say) joyful your daily routines are.
That’s where lifestyle design enters the picture.
Lifestyle design is about consciously shaping your day-to-day existence to align with your core values and personal rhythms. It’s not about laziness or avoiding work; it’s about asking: What do I genuinely want my life to look like?
The shift to lifestyle design
When I finally left the corporate world to pursue writing and consulting, I carried over my hustle habits: jam-packed days, early-morning calls, and late-night editing sessions.
The result?
Burnout, round two. It was as if my old patterns had stowed away on my new journey.
That’s when Tim Ferriss’s ideas about creating systems and automating tasks caught my attention.
He wasn’t telling people to “get rich quick” — he was urging them to stop filling their calendars with unnecessary busywork. So I asked different questions:
Initially, that scared me—after all, what if turning down work meant losing out on income? But ironically, when I said “no” to the unnecessary, I freed up space for the essential. I found my writing got sharper, my stress levels dropped, and new, more aligned opportunities appeared.
It echoed Greg McKeown’s “less but better” mantra, focusing on the vital few tasks instead of the trivial many.
Designing for day-to-day joy
Lifestyle design doesn’t just transform how you work — it affects where you work, who you spend your time with, and what kind of environment supports your flow.
A friend of mine moved from a chaotic city to a peaceful coastal town because she realized she’s infinitely more creative when she hears the sound of the ocean.
Another friend custom-built his workspace with a standing desk and mood lighting because that setup kept him energized.
These tweaks might sound small, but they can be game-changers in your daily experience.
For years, we’ve all heard that “hard work = success.”
That’s not entirely wrong — but if your idea of success leaves you miserable, is it really success?
Redefining success beyond hours
In my old workplace, colleagues bragged about pulling all-nighters, skipping weekends, and wearing burnout as a badge of honor.
I get it: there’s a sense of camaraderie in that grind.
But if you look at the bigger picture, personal relationships strain, health deteriorates, and the team eventually collapses under the weight of exhaustion.
You might get a short-term boost in deliverables, but is that worth the long-term cost?
This is where Seth Godin’s quote resonates so deeply.
If you’re perpetually yearning for the weekend or dreaming of your next getaway, maybe the problem isn’t that you haven’t found the right productivity app. Maybe it’s that your everyday life is set up in a way you need to escape from.
Learning from the blue zones
Curiously, many in the so-called “Blue” Zones”—regions known for health and longevity—don’t view work as a dreaded obligation.
They integrate purposeful activity into everyday life, balanced with strong community ties, plenty of rest, and meaningful social connections.
That’s a form of lifestyle design, albeit shaped by cultural traditions rather than productivity hacks.
What it shows is that you don’t have to buy into the relentless hustle if you want to achieve great things.
Instead, you can build a self-sustaining rhythm where work feels meaningful l— where you’re not constantly counting down to the next vacation because your daily life is fulfilling on its own.
How to start redesigning your life
So, how do you start designing a life you don’t need to run away from?
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Identify non-negotiables
Think about what makes you feel truly alive. It could be daily writing time, evening walks, or a social catch-up every Friday. Schedule these into your calendar like important meetings. -
Eliminate the excess
Greg McKeown, in Essentialism, talks about cutting out the trivial many to focus on the vital few. That might mean saying “no” to social invites or projects that don’t serve your bigger vision. Expect some FOMO initially, but remember that clarity often arrives on the other side of a well-considered “no.” -
Shape your workspace
Whether it’s an office, a corner of your living room, or a seat in your favorite café, create an environment that fuels your best work. This can be as simple as decluttering your desk or as big as relocating to a different city or neighborhood. -
Iterate as you evolve
Lifestyle design isn’t a one-time project; it’s an ongoing experiment. As your goals and interests change, your daily routines should shift accordingly. Maybe you try working remotely from another country for a few months, or pivot to a more stable job if you realize you crave a routine. The key is staying intentional rather than letting life just happen to you.
The Tuesday test
A simple exercise: visualize your ideal day — hour by hour. Not a dream vacation, but a regular Tuesday.
- When would you wake up if you had full freedom?
- How would you spend your morning?
- Would you prioritize deep creative work early, or would you prefer a slow start with meditation or exercise?
- After lunch, would you meet a friend or dive into a personal project?
- By evening, how would you wind down?
Write that schedule out, then compare it to your current reality. The differences might highlight what’s missing or out of balance. Those gaps can guide your next steps in lifestyle design.
Embracing the fear of stepping away from the hustle
One of the hardest parts of rejecting hustle culture is the fear that you’ll fall behind.
What if you’re perceived as unambitious? What if you miss out on opportunities because you’re not grinding 24/7? These worries are normal.
But consider this: true momentum comes from sustainable energy, not frantic burnout. If you’re exhausted all the time, you’re operating at half your potential—even if your schedule suggests you’re “busier” than ever.
When you love your day-to-day life, you show up differently.
You’re more creative, more engaged, and more likely to build genuine connections with clients and colleagues.
That energy can translate into better-quality work, richer ideas, and long-term success that doesn’t leave your body and mind in tatters.