‘Market only cares about your hustle’: Delhi man urges young people to work on weekends, sparks debate

Delhi man says young workers must be available even on weekends. (AI-generated image)

Work-life balance is often seen as important, especially for young people starting their careers. In recent years, more professionals have spoken openly about setting limits between work and personal time. However, a recent LinkedIn post by a Delhi-based professional has reopened the debate, raising questions about whether availability should take priority over boundaries in the early stages of work.

The post, which has gone viral, describes an incident involving a young founder and focuses on the value of being available. Explaining what happened, the man wrote, “Last Friday, I reached out to a very young founder for a project and his response was ‘Let's connect on Monday.’ Mind you, this was an exciting and important project!”

He said he did not wait until the next week to move ahead, “So I called someone else that same night, and the other guy picked up immediately, we discussed the project, and I gave him the work.” When the first founder contacted him again on Monday, the decision had already been made. “And when the 1st guy reached out on Monday, I told him the opportunity was gone.”

Clarifying his point, he said the post was not meant as a personal attack. He explained,  “The point of me talking about this is not to rant about the 1st guy, it's just to put it out there that, availability, at the start of your career, is a very important skill.” According to him, quick responses can shape early career opportunities.

He also addressed the broader issue of work-life balance. He said, “I understand that ‘work-life balance’ is important, but there's a time for everything. ‘Let's speak next week’ doesn't work when you're starting your career.”

Comparing newcomers with established professionals, he added, “Successful people can afford to say ‘let's talk next week’ because opportunities chase them. But if you're new, you chase opportunities.” He said flexibility is often required,“You talk now, or in an hour or if needed then at 10 PM on a Friday if that's when someone calls.”

He stressed that skill alone does not always decide outcomes. “The person who got the work wasn't more talented than the first guy. He was just more available.” In his view, boundaries should follow credibility, “So yeah, set boundaries once you've built credibility.”

He ended his post writing, “But until then? Remember that your weekends are not more important than your future. The market doesn't care about your schedule. It only cares about your hustle.So, please stop acting like you are successful before you actually are if you want to be extraordinarily successful.”

The post drew heavy criticism in the comments. As reactions grew, the man later issued a clarification, “A quick few clarifications for those getting offended-This is for those who want to be extraordinarily successful. Extraordinary output = extraordinary input. Rest to each their own. We run a remote team with an unlimited no questions asked leave policy. So work culture is well understood.”

Despite this, many users continued to disagree. One commenter wrote, “Disagree wholeheartedly. Someone can be busy on friday locked up in day long meetings, or preoccupied with prior committee at work or outside work.” They questioned the urgency of late-week requests, “In 95% cases, extreme urgency is manufactured. Most urgent tasks arriving on Friday eve can wait until Monday morning.” The user added, “It's possible the guy dodged a bullet. There's a reason you called the person on Friday first. He was your first option.”

Another comment was more direct. “Aryan Anurag looks like the first guy dodged a bullet.” The user wrote, “Imagine working with someone who thinks that your right to set boundaries and to have a life outside of work is a luxury only experienced folk can excercise.” They also expressed concern for the second person who accepted the project.

A third user shared a similar view, “1st guy dodged a bullet. When someone onboards a project at 10 PM on a Friday, that's a pretty good indication of how they'll run the project over its life. A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on the other party's end, even if you're paying them.”

Another professional summed up the wider concern, “My career is very important to me and I take my work seriously. That said, I really dislike how burnout and constant availability are often worn as badges of honor. Taking your career seriously should not mean being on call at all hours or sacrificing your life outside of work. Saying “let’s connect Monday” is not a lack of ambition, it is basic boundary setting.”