I’m Erik Huberman, a founder and operator who has spent years in the trenches. Here’s the uncomfortable truth few want to hear: work ethic is still the greatest legal edge in business. Not talent. Not luck. Not even timing. The simple, steady choice to outwork the field—day after day—wins more often than people want to admit.
Recently, a survey asked a blunt question: would you rather work 25 hours a week and make $125,000 a year, or work 70 hours and make $300,000? My answer was instant. Then I saw the results. 98.2% chose the 25-hour option. That result didn’t depress me. It clarified the game.
The Choice Most People Won’t Make
My peers—many owners and operators—didn’t hesitate. They would take 70 hours. Not because they love long days for the sake of it, but because they love building things that matter. They want uncommon outcomes. Uncommon outcomes require uncommon inputs.
“98.2% chose 25 hours and $125K.”
I spent time with a group of wealthy friends at an event. A young guy helping out asked what they all had in common. I knew these people well. The answer wasn’t a secret strategy or a magic market. They all work seventy-plus hours a week.
“They all work seventy-plus hours a week.”
You don’t have to want that life. If you choose balance, great. But if you want outsized results, understand the field you’re entering. The upside is clear: if you’re part of the 1.8% willing to do the work, you’re not competing with everyone. You’re competing with a tiny slice of people who are willing to push that hard.
What The Data And Experience Show
The survey exposed a simple divide. Most people would trade money for time. That’s fair. But it also shows why certain outcomes cluster at the top. People love to debate talent, tools, and timing. Those matter. Still, the pattern I keep seeing is blunt: the people pulling far ahead stack more hours of focused effort, for longer, with fewer breaks.
Here’s the stance, as clearly as possible: if you want exceptional income and ownership, plan for seasons of heavy lift. Not forever. But for long enough to get compounding in your favor. I’ve lived this through building companies, growing sales from zero, and scaling teams. It isn’t romantic. It’s repetition and resilience.
Counterarguments exist. Some say it’s about working smarter, not longer. True—and smarter usually compounds when you also work more. Others say burnout is real. Agreed. Burnout happens when hours stack without purpose, recovery, or leverage. Which brings me to how to do this without crashing.
How To Make 70-Hour Weeks Actually Work
Heavy workload can be sustainable if it’s structured, purposeful, and temporary during key pushes. These guardrails keep intensity from ruining your life:
- Define the season: 8–16 weeks for a major push, not endless grind.
- Protect non-negotiables: sleep, fitness, one daily connection with family.
- Stack leverage: hire earlier than feels comfortable; delegate outcomes, not tasks.
- Cut waste: eliminate meetings without decisions; say no to “nice-to-have” work.
- Track progress weekly: goals, leading metrics, and blockers—clear or kill them.
Intensity without intention burns you out. Intention without intensity stalls you out. The win is in combining both—on purpose, for a clear window, with real recovery built in.
The 1.8% Edge
Here’s my bottom line: if you want results most won’t get, do what most won’t do. That doesn’t mean grind porn or bragging about hours. It means choosing when to go hard and then actually going hard. That’s how compounding starts. That’s how ownership happens. That’s why so many top earners share the same habit—long, focused weeks during the years that matter most.
Choose the life you want. If you’re in the 98.2%, I respect it. Time is precious. But if you’re in the 1.8%, stop apologizing and start organizing your push. The window is open because most people walked away from the door.
Call to action: Pick one big target. Set a 12-week season. Build the guardrails. Then show up for 70 hours of meaningful work each week. Do it clean. Do it on purpose. And watch the gap widen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is working 70 hours a week the only way to get ahead?
No. It’s one proven path for outsized outcomes, especially early on. Some succeed with fewer hours, but they usually offset with extreme focus, leverage, or unique timing.
Q: How do I avoid burnout during a heavy push?
Define a clear time window, protect sleep and fitness, schedule daily family time, and cut low-value work. Intensity is fine; aimless overload is not.
Q: What if I value time more than higher income?
Then choose the 25-hour path without guilt. Success is personal. Pick the trade-offs that fit your season of life and goals.
Q: Does “work harder” ignore the role of skill and strategy?
Skill and strategy matter a lot. The point is that more focused hours often amplify those advantages and help them compound faster.
Q: How long should a 70-hour season last?
Use 8–16 weeks for a major push. Review results, reset goals, and decide if another season makes sense before continuing.
