Stop Getting Good at Being Busy
Build leverage in your 20s, not dependency.
The Grind Trap
Everyone says “grind.”
Most people grind in the wrong direction. They stack hours. They don’t stack value.
Busy doesn’t compound. Leverage does.
Value Per Hour (VPH): Simple First
VPH = Value Created ÷ Hours Spent
“Value Created” can be:
Money earned or saved
Time you freed up (yours or the team’s)
Problems you prevented
See the premium section below for the full breakdown.
Transferable Skills That Raise Your Rate
Portable (leverage):
Writing that persuades
Presenting decisions clearly
Managing chaos → shipped
Senior relationships that open doors
Negotiating scope, salary, terms
Solving problems with no playbook
Non-portable (dependency):
Internal tools no one else uses
One-off processes only your team cares about
Admin work that looks busy and builds nothing
The Litmus Test
Will this skill raise my rate outside this company within 12 months?
If no, de-prioritize.
Red Flags You’re Optimizing for Motion, Not Leverage
Your calendar is full, but you can’t name what shipped last month.
You’re learning tools that only your company uses.
You can’t explain your value in three bullets.
You’re waiting for someone else’s approval to prove your work.
Why Efficiency Beats Experience
Experience matters only if it makes you faster at valuable things.
Working 80 hours isn’t the goal. Creating more value per hour is. That’s what lets you earn more while working less.
It’s time to turn last month’s work → next month’s raise.
Upgrade now and get the VPH system: a simple calculator, promotion-ready scorecard, scripts, templates, and a 30-day plan that lands interviews.
🔐 Premium: The Complete Value Per Hour System: Calculator, Scorecard, Scripts, and a 30-Day Plan
1. The VPH Calculator (copy/paste)
Start simple. Then go precise.