I have wasted a massive part of my life feeling like I'm not good enough, constantly hustling and trying to "make it". I got caught up in the self help cult and horrible advice that suggests you should sleep less, work more and that anything else is a waste of time. At one point I was sleeping 4-5 hours, consuming dangerous amounts of caffeine and ephedrine to get stuff done. It fcuked up my health, led to a couple of relationships falling apart and I even had a few breakdowns and bouts of crippling depression.
But the worst part is looking back and seeing how many life experiences I allowed to pass by. I was constantly putting off travel, dates and recreation until I "made it" - a stage that never actually exists. Whenever I did go out with friends or away somewhere I was feeling guilty, like I was wasting time and never fully enjoyed it.
I've realised now that life is way to valuable to waste on a constant hustle and all it does is make you feel like you're not enough. I'm a big advocate of self improvement and chasing your goals, but it's essential to find balance and integrate it into your life, rather than letting it become your life.
After this hard lesson, I now sleep 8 hours every night and allow more time for recreation. Sometimes, I'll even play video games of an evening...just as long as I've done something productive earlier that day. I enjoy life so much more and feel more confident and assured. Ironically, I seem to get more done too. I'm able to focus more. I enjoy my work more and put quality before quantity.