The Art Of Hustling and How It’s Evolved | by Winter | Mar, 2023

Hustling is a timeless trade. Defined as making money through unconventional means, it is an that has been around for centuries. Like any other art form, the game changes with the influx of each new generation.
 
It has not always had a positive connotation, however. From the mid-1800s through the 1970’s, it was understood as making money through an illegal manner. After a brief period as a dance created by Van McCoy, the idea of hustling started to shift. The 50’s and 60’s had given us door to door salesmen. The American Dream had begun: the average person could run their own business. By the 70’s, it wasn’t just drug dealers hustling their products. Housewives could sell Tupperware or Mary Kay. Men could sell vacuums or knives. Even kids started extending lawn mowing skills, yard work or babysitting for some extra cash.
 
By the 1990’s, it became a more common thing for people to have a “side-hustle,” referring to any work paid for in cash. This could include anything from cleaning houses to selling homemade jewelry or jams. People started utilizing hobbies and talents as a way to make ends meet. Then, the birth of the internet came and the entire game changed.
 
The more main stream the internet became, the more opportunity arose and hustling became more accessible and diverse than ever before. Websites like MySpace and Ebay were pioneers that reshaped life as we know it. They paved the way for YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, and, now, a plethora of platforms to accommodate anyone’s interests. You can create anything you want, sell anything you want; whatever you’re into, there’s a website, an app or a page for it.
 
There has been a significant up rise of people taking advantage of these various avenues to make money. In light of recent events, people have begun finding their creativity can pay the bills. Because above all, the internet has a love for artists. It has never been easier for writers, musicians, illustrators and artists of every kind to stake their claim in the world. The downfall: trading their creative edge for the sake of content.
 
The solution: multiple forms of residual income. New opportunities for people to make money keep emerging all the time. One opportunity is reselling products, drop shipping, or creating their own online stores. Social media has also played a significant role in changing the way people hustle. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have allowed people to build large followings and monetize their content through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and product sales. This has created a new breed of influencers and content creators who are able to make a living by sharing their passions and interests with others.
 
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards remote work and online hustling. The evolution of hustling over the last 20 years has been remarkable. The rise of technology and the internet has opened up new avenues for people to make money through unconventional means. From the gig economy to e-commerce, social media, cryptocurrency, and remote work, hustling has become more accessible and diverse than ever before. As we move forward, it is likely that we will continue to see new forms of hustling emerge, as people adapt to changing technologies and economic conditions. Ultimately, hustling is a testament to human ingenuity and resourcefulness, and it will continue to play an important role in the way we make a living in the years to come.