My deeply personal journey of “Hustle and Flow”

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a hustler. 

From my first job at age 12, washing cars, and selling newspapers, to building multiple businesses, my life has been a relentless pursuit. A pursuit defined by society’s relentless chant: hustle, grind, succeed. 

But a profound experience deep within the Amazonian jungle not only questioned this paradigm but also offered a new rhythm to dance to: Flow.

I embarked on a Master Plant Dieta, a sacred journey with the Shipiba tribe, immersing myself in a ritualistic connection with teacher plants. Far from the noise of the city, and the concrete expectations of the entrepreneurial world, I found myself enveloped by the wisdom of the jungle.

Insights from the Jungle

In the plant medicine community, we speak of “downloads,” insights that are not mere fleeting thoughts but concrete understandings. 

And the jungle was generous with its teachings.

I realized I had been running hard and fast for most of my life. Juggling projects, maintaining cash flow, embracing the “grow up, be a man” philosophy instilled from childhood. I had dove headlong into work, skipping childhood, missing adolescence, and forgetting to pause, breathe, and be in the moment.

My journey with psychedelics has not been a mere adventure but an essential part of personal evolution. The hustle persisted, but it seemed I was running away from something rather than toward success. 

The truth was unambiguous and clear: I needed to surrender to the “flow.”

Understanding Flow

Flow state is not just a fashionable phrase among entrepreneurs and creatives. 

It’s unimpeded creativity, where normal thoughts are suspended, and everything literally flows. From meditation to psychedelics, many paths can lead to this divine state of being, but my insight in the jungle was specific: Stop hustling and let it all go.

This notion seemed counterintuitive at first. Ridiculous even. I had goals to meet, milestones to achieve, didn’t I? Was I mistaken in my relentless drive? Was the hustle truly the answer, or was it just a self-imposed pressure?

I knew then that I had to embrace this grand experiment, even if it meant putting my long-labored coursework on hold, rescheduling my speaking events, and slowing down after 49 years of perpetual hustle.

The Challenge of Surrender

The transition wasn’t easy. 

Once wired for relentless pursuit, it was tough to change. To surrender. To let go. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my diverse and exploratory life, it’s that the universe’s call to flow must not be ignored.

I found grace in this new rhythm. 

A tangible manifestation was a simple rescheduling of three speaking gigs turning into ten in India. My dream comes true, without me beating the pavement, without hustle. 

That’s flow. 

That’s surrender.

A New Path Forward

Hustle had shaped my life; flow brought alignment. 

The dance between these two rhythms is my continuing journey, a lesson in surrendering control, embracing the ever-present moment, and finding authenticity.

I’ve learned that success is not just about the grind; it’s about alignment, resonance, and knowing when to move and when to let go. It’s about embracing both the hustle and the flow, dancing between them, guided not just by society’s expectations but by a deeper, more authentic wisdom.

In the silence of the jungle, I heard not just the whispers of ancient plants but the heartbeat of life itself. A dance, a rhythm, a hustle, a surrender. The beauty of this complex symphony is in the knowing, the understanding, the embracing.

Final Reflections

I share this not as an argument against hard work or a call to abandon goals but as a testament to the importance of alignment, authenticity, and wisdom in our pursuits. 

We must question the relentless societal chant of hustle and find our own rhythm, guided by intuition and insight. We must dance to our own music, sometimes hustling, sometimes flowing, but always listening, always aware. It’s a dance that can take us to unimaginable heights, not just in our careers but in our understanding of life itself.

A dream, a hustle, a surrender – this is my dance. 

And in the stillness between the beats, I find truth, joy, and the elusive, powerful flow.