The other day I talked to a young friend of mine who is growing his own company.

He is hiring lots of people, closing lots of deals and making lots of money.

He’s also working lots of hours.

When I asked him about this, he said something brilliant. He told me, “This is the beginning of my company, I’m in med school.”

What he meant was that he is in a season of intense hustle. Like a med student who has to grind 18 hours a day, he is giving it his all. And if he was a med school student none of his friends would say, “I think you’re studying too much. Take it more casually.”

His friends would understand that long hours are part of being in med school. But sometimes when someone is growing a business or chasing a dream, we tell them to slow down and not work so hard. We tell them the opposite of what we’d tell a med student.

He’s working long days and long nights. Why? He’s in med school.

The trick though is that med school eventually ends. Doctors graduate. Students get a diploma and their life changes. They still work incredibly hard, but if they want a sustainable, long term career they don’t work 20 hour days.

They leave med school.

As you chase your dream, you are going to have some med school moments.

Call them what they are, hustle hard and eventually graduate.