Event Recap: Hustle Smarter, Not Harder with Maria Granados
She is kind, genuine, and full of life. Maria also knows how to hustle. We sat down together at lululemon to talk about how to hustle smarter, not harder.
She gets it. Maria has two children, Nat (5) and Ziggy (3) with another due in March. Just a few years ago, Natalie “Nat” was diagnosed with a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy, PYROXD1 gene homozygous mutation, deeming her only the 17th in the world with this disease. Learn about Nat’s gift, here. She and her husband, Matt, collectively own and/or operate multiple (6) businesses and organizations spanning non-profit, retail, consulting, and even farm-raised Sugar Bears (or, flying squirrels). Together, their faith grounds them in a strong marriage and their relationships with others are meaningful and deep. I’ve always been intrigued and inspired by the Granados family. They live boldly and with such purpose and gratitude. Their circumstances have never defined them but fueled them to see new opportunities. Despite having a full ICU set up in their home for their daughter and frequent hospital stays, the disciplined mindset and systems they have built into their everyday lives have allowed them the freedom to live with even more joy.
Let’s dig in.
Both successful and unsuccessful people get 24 hours in one day. What’s the difference? Why do some people seem to have it all figured out, while the rest of us are struggling to change a light bulb? Are we wired this way, or are there methodologies and life hacks to help us rise above?
Maria’s passion for disciplined structure and a healthy mindset helps us unpack this. She believes life is seasonal. And, if we have the right structure in place then we can better handle the setbacks, curve balls, and fluctuations in how our energy is allocated. There are some seasons when Nat is in intensive care fighting for each breath; Maria and her family still march forward.
We’ve been societally trained to chase and glorify the hustle. No sleep, all work, laser-focus, and the grind are the only ways to success – or so we’re told. Many hold back from their dreams because this lifestyle is unthinkable. Others suffer loss after loss as their passion dwindles, relationships deteriorate, health fails and we experience a complete disconnect from our own center. Whether we hustle to start a new business or maintain a household, it’s typically the achievement or completion, that wins the award. We have become so wrapped up in the doing, that we’ve lost the importance of becoming.
Maria explains, “those that feel the most joy in accomplishing a goal are those with goals that are connected to who they are.” In our hustle culture, it’s easy to pick up new goals or collect tasks to fill our time. We are easily influenced by our surroundings. Whether it’s a best friend doing an extreme physical challenge, a neighbor hosting a Pinterest-worthy party, or our boss working 80 hours a week, we think, “If they are doing this, should I be doing this?” Except, we rarely take that question seriously. We just do it. We become hoarders of other people’s expectations instead of taking the time to pause and understand our own expectations for ourselves and the life we are trying to create.
What values anchor you?
Who do you want to become?
What habits and routines are required for that to happen?
These are foundational questions that will help you build the structure around you.
One of Granados’s businesses is Life Pulse Inc. It’s a framework to help you succeed in becoming the person you want to become while reaching the goals that are connected to your purpose. Through this discipline, MORE TIME is created. This includes a planner with guided questions and practices as well as a framework for connecting deeper with your partner through, Life Date.
Each week, a series of intentional practices are done to guide behavior and mindset. For example:
FOCUS WORD
This can be anything, but it must be purposeful to you.
Examples may include words like obedience, listen, motivation, health, discipline.
QUOTE
What does this word mean to you exactly?
Is there a quote that inspires you? Write it down.
WEEKLY GOALS
How does your focus influence your weekly goals? Create goals for these four areas in your life: Relational (e.g. call my best friend), Internal (e.g. read the bible for five minutes daily), Professional (e.g. research three new accounts), Physical (e.g. exercise four days and meal prep).
Setting smaller goals that ladder up to large life goals increases the likelihood of success.
Life Date is a bit different, but similar principles. It’s a monthly “Life Date” chock-full of self-reflection, check-ins, dinner reservations, babysitters, and gifts. The point is – take it seriously. Impress your date and create the time to show up fully present and ready to connect.
How much time and energy do you spend today feeling disconnected or misaligned from your partner? What if you were marching in the same direction and had double the force to become what you want? Maria and Matt have excelled in this, although I’m sure they would both tell you they are always a work in progress – as we all are.
Without a plan, you spiral. You spend more time chasing distractions or wrestling with feelings of discontent than you do working towards what it is you desire. To succeed, you first must know where it is you want to go.
This practice of planning is a discipline, and it takes time to master. My own workload ebbs and flows and can get out of control if I’m not paying close attention. You are no different.
Ten Minute Exercise
Write down every chore, task, and initiative that is on your plate.
Using different colored highlighters, color code each by one of these four categories by asking yourself these questions:
1) DELEGATE:
What can I delegate? Is your burden another person’s joy? Can someone else do the same task, even if it’s done differently? Is the humility of asking for help worth your happiness? Are you resistant to delegating a task because it produces quick results, or would your time be better spent elsewhere that has slower, more meaningful results?
2) AUTOMATE
What can I automate? Are there better, more efficient ways to perform a task? Or, would technology help alleviate frustration in your life?
3) ELIMINATE
What can I stop doing altogether? How much of your workload is driven by other people’s expectations? Is your ego leading you down the wrong path? Is what you’re doing necessary to where you want to go? Are you aware you are spending your time here? How much of a difference is it making in your life?
4) KEEP
What do I really want to be doing? Is there a way to simplify this? Is this an intentional habit or body of work that you’re choosing? How is this connected to your purpose? Focus on those important (but not urgent*) tasks that ladder up to your long-term vision. *Learn more about the Eisenhower Box, here.
Sift through those tasks that you can eliminate and delegate to free up your plate and begin to work towards simplifying and automating others. This is not a one-and-done exercise. Do this quarterly to re-evaluate your plate and assess the strength of your habits and boundaries. The more disciplined you become, the more protective you will be of only taking on the work that serves you. Note: You can learn more about this exercise, here.
So, what’s next? How do you hustle smarter and not harder?
Reflect. Take the time to pause and understand what YOU need. Determine what is currently cluttering your time and mental energy with meaningless outcomes vs. fueling you for positive results. Take inspired action.
Remember, only you are in control of your life.
For more inspiration, keep up with Maria on Instagram at @riarambles @takepartfoundation and stay tuned for her upcoming podcast launching in January, Let Your Fight Shine, a podcast for women flipping the script on struggle.
