Eric Qureshi – Austria’s ‘Mysterious Gatsby’ On Why You Should Work 100 Hours a Week
Like anything in life, you only get out what you put in. While many companies traditionally follow the standard 9-to-5, equating to a 40-hour work week, entrepreneurs and business owners may find themselves working well over this amount. Media shy, weekend jetsetter Eric Qureshi is one of these few, and firmly believes it is the reason for his success.
Growing up, Eric wanted to change the world. He knew, however, that to create lasting impact he would have to put in the extra work, sacrificing being comfortable to reach his goals. “I never had any Ivy League education, nor was I the brightest student in the classroom, but I had something the others did not,” Eric says. “I had discipline and determination, and with these tools in my belt I was able to outwork everyone and they will never be able to catch up again.”
Formerly an advisor to several prestigious international brands and firms, Eric is currently the global head of a European start-up valued at almost $2 billion. “Working 100 hours each week has gotten me to where I am today,” says Eric. “It has been my experience that doing so helps you achieve in 4 months or less what you otherwise would in a year working the traditional 9-5.” Needless to say, this would certainly put you ahead of your competition, be they up for the same promotion or provider or similar products or services.
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In an ever-changing world, there has been a huge shift advocating for work/life balance recently. Many would be resistant to working 14 hours a day based upon this line of thought, but not Eric. “If you aren’t willing to work 100 hours a week don’t worry, your family and friends won’t mind, but guess what? Neither will your competition,” says Eric. “If you aren’t there to pick up a call from a potential client or respond to an urgent email at 4 am on a Tuesday or Sunday morning, you can bet your competition will be.”
It can be a rather grim prospect to consider, but long-term gain far outweighs any short-term inconvenience. “It’s an unpopular opinion, but my line of thought is that if you have not put in the hard yards, then you do not yet deserve ‘balance’,” says Eric. He maintains that if you are not financially well off enough to create global impact, or readily donate to foundations and charitable organisations without giving pause, then you are simply playing, and working, too small. “Enough of working to live,” says Eric. “We need to learn to live and work. By that I mean grind and work so hard that your future self and your loved ones never have to worry about financial stress again, and are free to help others achieve the same. This is when balance will set in.”
Goodbye work smarter not harder, and hello working smarter and harder. The path to greatness is never easy, but infinitely worthwhile. Working 100-hour weeks isn’t easy either, but if one man can do it, then so can you. When we asked him about his net worth, he declined to comment with a grin.
