Why 90-Hour Weeks Now Can Buy Decades Later

Why 90-Hour Weeks Now Can Buy Decades Later

Lesson: The Power of “Performance Sprints”

For the past four years I’ve averaged 90-hour workweeks—on purpose. The goal? Semi-retire by 45. This year my first cash-flow business finally kicks off passive income, paying me back for those long nights and early mornings. I call these periods of intense, goal-driven hustle performance sprints.

Insight: Think in Years, Not Days

Kobe Bryant trained harder and longer than anyone because he treated practice as a multi-year sprint. Most of us view a “sprint” as a frantic week for short periods; Kobe viewed it as seasons, even years, of focused grind. The lesson: sustained, intentional sacrifice now can translate into outsized freedom later.

• Swap Time Now for Time Later – Every hour today is an investment in decades of autonomy.
  
  
• Define Your Sprint Window – Mine is four years; yours could be two weeks.
  
  
• Accept the Trade-Off – Sacrifice isn’t failure; it’s strategic allocation.
  
  

Action Item: Design Your Own Performance Sprint

1. Choose Your End Date – When do you want to achieve your goal?
   
   
2. Back-Plan the Numbers – Calculate the cash flow or assets you need.
   
   
3. Identify the Sacrifice – What will you give up (time, comfort, weekends) to reach it?
   
   
4. Commit to the Window – Sprint hard, then re-evaluate when you hit the finish line. And make sure you reevaluate during the middle of the sprint to ensure that as you learn you still want it for the sacrifice you're giving. Is the salt worth the rub?
   
   

What will you sacrifice today to gain more tomorrow?

Reflect on it — we’re all learning how to sprint a little smarter.