The grind debate with Alex Hormozi: is hustle culture still worth
it?
Indie hackers debate whether sacrificing everything is still the key to building big.
Alex Hormozi posted his philosophy of “no distractions for 10 years,” including skipping friends' weddings.
Amanda Goetz, Justin Welsh, and others have criticized this extreme focus on work.
The grind-is-everything mindset might be losing its shine.
For years, the hustle-and-grind culture has dominated the Indie Hackers scene — a badge of honor for those who sacrifice everything for success. Gym, meditation, sauna, cold showers, 3-hour morning routines, monk mode... You name it.
But times are changing. People are starting to push back, prioritizing their mental and physical health over relentless ambition.
Take the reactions to Alex Hormozi's recent post, where he laid out his life's philosophy:
No distractions for 10 years.
No meaningless purchases for 10 years.
No clubbing for 10 years.
No fantasy football for 10 years.
No friends' weddings for 10 years.
In short: “Just win”, no matter the costs.
It’s classic hustle-preacher stuff, but not everyone loved it. Amanda Goetz was quick to counter, that life isn't about a single focus. And that kind of philosophy is dangerous.
Justin Welsh added his own spicy take:
Both he and his wife preach the silliest shit on earth. I love getting under their skin.
They are driven purely by money and nothing else.
But others, like Tom Bilyeu, were more middle ground — whether it's grind or family life, you do you.
The comments section blew up, with people either cheering Hormozi’s dedication or slamming it as unhealthy. Hormozi himself jumped back in to respond to Amanda:
You are right.
People who have different destinations follow different paths. I’m happy for you and your family you found one you love. Congrats on the amazing success. Keep on. ✊🏽
A gracious reply, sure, but it didn’t stop the bigger debate: is grind culture still the blueprint, or is it time for a reset?
The grind isn’t always glamorous
The hustle isn’t just about skipping weddings and fantasy football — it’s about what founders give up to keep the lights on.
Daniel Vassallo, a big name in the Indie Hackers world, recently reposted a tweet from Albert Mao, a YC founder, who bragged about living in NYC and making $40K a year, even after raising millions — equivalent to $9.61/hour for an 80-hour workweek.
Vassallo’s take? Not impressed. Life isn’t about wasting the best years of your life on relentless hustle.
And other people, like Sam Parr and Ayush, shared very similar opinions in the comments section.
Burnout isn’t a badge of honor
Even when the grind pays off, it can come at a huge cost. Take Nico, an indie hacker who sold his project just a few months ago. The business was thriving — $7K MRR and growing 50% in the last three months — but Nico was done. The relentless grind had left him burned out.
He sold the business for $200K, even though he could’ve made more if he waited. But for Nico, walking away was worth it.
So, is the grind worth it?
This debate is dividing the startup world. Some say the grind is essential for success — after all, building something big takes sacrifices. Others argue that life’s too short to spend a decade skipping weddings, eating microwave meals, and burning out.
The truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Some people thrive in the grind. Others need balance. The real question isn’t just whether the hustle works — it’s whether it’s worth it.
And for more and more indie hackers, the answer seems to be no.
i fell like the side hustle idea is going from a "nice to have" to a "must have" in today's economy - that can certainly create burnout.
Seconded.
I've consumed much of Hormozi's content, he's really great. That being said, I do recognize the dangers of becoming obsessed with money or success.
To me, what drives me is wanting freedom. Freedom to pursue something without being limited to having to make it profitable. If I want to spend my time studying, say, evolutionary biology, I want to do it with full attention. Not having to worry about 20 different things at the same time, all the time.
I'm a Hormozi fan too, but he posts some hyperbolic stuff just for engagement imo. The idea that success requires skipping friends' weddings for 10 years is silly.
We all want freedom, but it's because we plan to use that freedom to do things we find enjoyable. It takes away the point if we make super long-term sacrifices of the things that we enjoy, just so we can get the freedom to… do the things we enjoy.
For sure. Although admitteddly, skipping weddings isn't much of a sacrifice for me as I don't particularly enjoy them 😂
I think Hormozi is too much into that mindset, like David Goggins for example. Maybe it works for them, but they're not your everyday Joe. They're special people, wired in that way. They're good inspiration, and food for thought, but It's important to have a balanced diet!
The topic of choosing what to do with our lives, and balancing wealth-seeking with joy-seeking is something I think still has much to be discussed. I definitely see finding that balance as being a luxury we are wise to pursue.
Thanks for creating IH btw! It's what encouraged me to pursue creating products on my own. I never dared think it could be possible to make something profitable on my own, but after seeing so many stories, it gave me hope I could make something helpful and therefore profitable. 🙏
Scott Adams, of Dilbert fame, said it beautifully: "If you want success, figure out the price, and then pay it."
We get to determine what success is though. And that will vary for different people and for the same people over time.
"Gym, meditation, sauna, cold showers, 3-hour morning routines, monk mode... You name it.
But times are changing. People are starting to push back, prioritizing their mental and physical health over relentless ambition."
This seems contradictory. Aren't these things contributing to better physical and mental health?
Or are you saying monk mode is not a part of the grind culture?
Sacrifice makes sense only until you reach a certain level. Not sure why a millionaire would still „hustle“.
Those at the bottom have to, but Elon can now play Diablo the whole day without major consequences.
Easy: millionaires hustle because they want to be billionaires!
Also, Elon leads multiple businesses... pretty sure he can't play diablo all day unless he wants those businesses to fail.
Yeah I mean Hormozi doesn't have kids. He's talked about that, and it's a deliberate sacrifice, but quite a costly one. And for what? More money can't meaningfully change his life much.
But I do think that if you're young and you want to have kids eventually, you should probably grind and hustle like hell while you still have time. and it's easier to treat workaholism than it is to create it.
So if you're willing to pay the price of hustling in your current stage of life, then you should hustle.
But the important thing is to know your priorities, the habits they require, and the costs of those habits.
I'm in my 20s so my priority right now is money and success, but when my priorities change, well I'm hoping that I can shift my habits as well.
hlo
i am pro hustle culture.
but, not how some of the influencer portray it.