They look the same from the outside.
Early mornings.
Long days.
Staying late.
Doing more.
But the difference?
It’s in the why —
and the cost.
Working hard comes from vision.
Overworking comes from fear.
Working hard builds.
Overworking burns.
Working hard ends.
Overworking forgets how to stop.
There’s a thin line.
And it’s not about how many hours you’re logging —
It’s about how often you lose yourself in the hours.
Are you moving with purpose?
Or running on panic?
Are you stretching?
Or are you slowly unraveling?
Because working hard means you give effort.
Overworking means you give everything.
And sometimes you don’t notice the shift.
Until your body flinches when you open your laptop.
Until your rest feels like guilt.
Until your worth is measured by what you didn’t finish.
Here’s the truth:
Working hard honors your goals.
Overworking forgets you’re human.
The world won’t remind you of the difference.
But your body will.
Your relationships will.
Your joy will.
So maybe today, you still work hard.
But this time —
you stop when you’re done.
Not when you’re empty.
You don’t have to earn your rest.
Only remember it.
This is the Cushy way.
Effort with boundaries.
Purpose with pause.
And strength that knows when to set itself down.
