Embracing progress over perfection: Breaking free from society’s always on mentality
photo credit: Alex Shuper
In a world that glorifies the hustle and demands constant productivity, shifting to a progress oriented mindset represents a revolutionary act of self care and sustainable success. The relentless pressure of always on culture is taking a significant toll on employee well-being, contributing to a growing mental health crisis in the workplace, with research showing that 48% of workers and 53% of managers are experiencing work burnout due to mounting pressures. However, embracing a growth mindset that values progress over perfection, celebrates small wins, and prioritizes the journey over the destination offers a powerful alternative that not only enhances well-being but also leads to more sustainable and meaningful achievements. This approach recognizes that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and perseverance, transforming challenges into opportunities and failures into stepping stones for growth.
Understanding the toxic always on culture
The modern workplace has become dominated by what experts call ‘hustle culture’, a relentless pressure to constantly strive and ‘be always on.’ This phenomenon thrives on the dangerous myth that more is always better, pushing employees to work longer hours, be perpetually glued to their inboxes, and constantly chase maximum output. The culture of 24/7 work became an aspirational business model for many, legitimizing the idea that to be successful and get anything meaningful done, you have to be doing long hours.
This always on mentality produces harmful long term effects that extend far beyond individual burnout. Research reveals that people who consistently work more than 55 hours a week are 1.66 times more likely to experience depression, 1.74 times more likely to develop anxiety, and 1.3 times more likely to suffer from heart disease or stroke. The chronic overwork championed by hustle culture takes a toll on cognitive function, with employees suffering from mental exhaustion experiencing impaired memory, reduced attention spans, and difficulty making sound decisions.
The financial cost of this burnout is equally significant. Studies have linked always on culture to increased absenteeism, higher healthcare expenditures, and a substantial drop in productivity, with stress resulting in as much as $300 billion in lost productivity. Rather than fostering peak performance, hustle culture inadvertently creates a workforce that is mentally depleted and operating below its potential.
Foundation of growth mindset
At the heart of embracing progress lies the concept of growth mindset, coined by psychologist Carol Dweck. A growth mindset is the belief that abilities, intelligence, and talents can be developed and improved through effort, learning, and perseverance. This contrasts sharply with a fixed mindset, where people see their traits as static and unchangeable. Understanding that your abilities and intelligence are not set in stone but can grow with effort and persistence forms the foundation for sustainable success and personal satisfaction.
Developing a growth mindset involves shifting your perspective on challenges, abilities, and the process of learning. Instead of thinking ‘I’m just bad at math,’ a growth mindset encourages the reframe: ‘I can get better at math with practice and support’. This fundamental shift in thinking transforms every challenge from a threat to your abilities into an opportunity to grow and expand your capabilities.
The key distinction lies in how we approach setbacks and failures. Rather than seeing failures as proof of limitations, a growth mindset views them as stepping stones to success. When facing disappointment, such as not receiving a promotion, the growth oriented approach involves reflecting on what could be done differently next time, such as improving specific skills or seeking mentorship. This perspective shift from ‘what went wrong’ to ‘how can I grow’ fundamentally changes the entire experience of pursuing goals.
Valuing process over outcome
One of the most powerful strategies for embracing progress involves learning to value the journey as much as, if not more than, the destination. This process oriented approach recognizes that meaningful growth occurs during the pursuit of goals, not just in their achievement. For example, if you’re working on a painting, focusing on the techniques you’re mastering rather than whether the final piece looks perfect allows for continuous learning and satisfaction throughout the creative process.
Process over outcome equals long term success because it allows for solid learning and growth, both personally and professionally. When groups or organizations experience failure and do nothing to modify that experience, the process has not fully played out. The key is not to fear failure, but to embrace its existence and work diligently to avoid it. However, when failure occurs, the process-oriented mindset evaluates, learns, and identifies alternatives to improve.
This approach fundamentally changes how we measure success. Instead of being solely focused on end results, we begin to acknowledge and reward persistence - like completing a challenging workout or mastering a new recipe, even if the result isn’t flawless. This reinforces the importance of effort and learning over quick wins. By consistently applying this principle, we strengthen our ability to find satisfaction and meaning in the ongoing work of improvement rather than banking all our happiness on uncertain outcomes.
Power of small wins and incremental progress
Celebrating small wins represents a crucial strategy for maintaining motivation and building sustainable progress. Many people tend to celebrate only life’s big wins - graduation, marriage, a first big job, or buying a first home - but accomplishing big projects successfully requires many small steps along the way. These small steps create momentum that propels us toward bigger goals while also reducing fear, clarifying direction, and increasing the probability of future success.
A small win might be as simple as getting up a little earlier to take a walk if you’re trying to improve your health, going to the gym after school or work, or choosing a nutritious option at a restaurant. Each of these achievements brings you a little closer to your long term goal. While small wins might not feel like much at the time, with consistency and persistence, they lead toward larger, more ambitious accomplishments.
The benefits of celebrating small accomplishments extend beyond simple motivation. This practice boosts mood and improves confidence in your accomplishments, keeping you motivated as you pursue larger goals. It helps form good habits and proves you can take on challenges. Breaking goals into small, manageable steps and celebrating each milestone - such as focusing on running a mile without stopping before gradually increasing distance toward a marathon - creates a sustainable approach to achievement that builds confidence and maintains momentum over time.
Embracing mindful rest and boundaries
Contrary to the always on mentality, research demonstrates that downtime and intentional rest are not empty indulgences but vital components of peak performance. Scientific evidence shows that downtime replenishes the brain’s stores of attention and motivation, encourages productivity and creativity, and is essential to achieve our highest levels of performance and simply form stable memories in everyday life. Just as sleep is an important and productive time for the brain, downtime proves vital for our minds and well-being.
Mindful rest involves the practice of stepping away from work to recharge in a way that restores mental clarity and focus. This is not about distraction or mindless scrolling through social media, but rather engaging in activities like deep breathing, walking, or reflecting that allow your brain to reset. These micro breaks aren’t just feel good moments - they’re critical for sustainable high performance, as your brain can only stay in deep focus for about 90 to 120 minutes at a time before productivity drops.
Creating effective work life boundaries requires practical strategies that protect both time and mental energy. This might involve taking time off and actually using it, exploring flexible working options when possible, creating and sticking to a schedule that includes both work and personal priorities, and deliberately unplugging from technology. The practice of saying ‘no’ to some things allows us to say ‘yes’ to what matters most, both at work and at home.
Self compassion as a growth tool
Cultivating self compassion emerges as one of the most effective ways to shift from a fixed mindset toward a growth mindset. Self compassion, meaning to suffer with, is a prosocial emotion that creates a desire to alleviate suffering and can be directed toward oneself. In times of personal struggle or failure, self compassion involves treating yourself with the same warmth and caring you would offer a friend.
This practice becomes particularly powerful when dealing with setbacks or mistakes. Instead of engaging in harsh self criticism that often accompanies perfectionist thinking, self compassion allows for acknowledgment of difficulties while maintaining kindness toward oneself. Consider a difficult experience at work: notice the thoughts and feelings associated with this event, then pause to offer yourself kindness by imagining what you would say to someone else in the same situation.
Self compassion doesn’t mean lowering standards or accepting mediocrity. Rather, it creates a psychological environment where learning and growth can flourish without the paralyzing fear of judgment. When we treat ourselves as we would treat a good friend, we’re more likely to take healthy risks, learn from mistakes, and persist through challenges - all essential components of a progress-oriented mindset.
Joy of missing out (JOMO)
An essential strategy for embracing progress involves developing what has been termed JOMO - the Joy of Missing Out - as an alternative to the fear of missing out (FOMO) that drives much of our always on culture. This concept reframes our relationship with choices and opportunities, helping us find satisfaction in what we choose not to pursue rather than anxiety about what we might be missing.
JOMO applies to various aspects of life. In shopping, instead of experiencing FOMO about passing up an opportunity to buy something, we can find joy in having one less thing in our home and having space instead. In our approach to tasks, the slow living approach might reduce the number of tasks we do in a day as we approach them more intentionally and mindfully. Even sitting quietly and enjoying doing ‘nothing’ instead of trying to be 100% productive all the time can bring significant joy.
This mindset shift works similarly to gratitude practice of being grateful for having one fewer thing in the house, being grateful for the ability to rest at home rather than constantly going out. When we quit engaging with the pressure to be constantly busy or constantly consuming, we often find relief and clarity that allows us to focus on what truly matters to us.
Practical implementation strategies
Successfully transitioning from an always on mentality to a progress oriented approach requires concrete, actionable strategies that can be implemented gradually. The key is to start small and build sustainable habits rather than attempting dramatic overnight changes that are difficult to maintain.
Begin by implementing the Pomodoro Technique or similar focused work cycles. Work in 90-minute focus blocks followed by 10- to 15-minute breaks, using that time to move around, breathe, or briefly disconnect. For a more structured approach, try 25 minutes of deep work followed by a 5-minute break. These small, regular pauses help maintain focus over long periods without leading to mental fatigue.
Establish a practice of regular self assessment and goal adjustment. Reflect on your current mindset by asking questions like: ‘Do I avoid challenges because I believe I’m not capable?’ Identify specific situations where you see challenges as limitations and consciously reframe them as opportunities to improve. Create a self care schedule that treats rest and rejuvenation as non negotiable appointments with yourself rather than optional luxuries.
Develop a habit of celebrating incremental progress through journaling or regular reflection. Track not just what you accomplished, but how you approached challenges, what you learned from setbacks, and how you maintained resilience during difficult periods. This practice reinforces the value of process over outcome and helps build the neural pathways that support a growth mindset.
The shift from society’s always on mentality to a progress oriented mindset represents more than just a personal productivity strategy - it’s a fundamental reimagining of what success and fulfillment mean. By embracing growth mindset principles, valuing process over outcome, celebrating small wins, implementing mindful rest, practicing self-compassion, and finding joy in missing out on the constant pressure to do more, we create space for sustainable achievement and genuine well-being.
This approach recognizes that true success isn’t measured by how busy we are or how much we accomplish in a single day, but by our capacity to learn, grow, and maintain our well-being while pursuing meaningful goals. The research is clear: those who embrace progress over perfection not only achieve better long-term results but also experience greater satisfaction, stronger relationships, and improved mental and physical health along the way.
The journey toward a progress oriented mindset requires patience with yourself and commitment to the long term process of change. However, by consistently applying these principles and gradually building supportive habits, you can break free from the toxic cycle of always on culture and discover a more sustainable, fulfilling path to success. Remember that this transformation itself is a process worth celebrating - every small step toward a healthier relationship with achievement and productivity represents meaningful progress worthy of recognition and appreciation.
Sources
Growth Mindset Vs. Performance Mindset - minihabits.com
Avoid Burnout: Rethinking the 'Always-On' Mentality - breakfastleadership.com
How to Develop a Growth Mindset: 5 Strategies | Goodwin University
Research shows that practicing self-compassion increases motivation - MSU Extension
Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset: What's the Difference? - Harvard Business School Online
