Summer Hustle: 17 Ways Working Like An Animal Ups Your Success Later

People who see summer as a vacation have it all wrong.

Summer is not a time to start slacking off, going to the beach every day and drinking Coronas.

It’s a time to push your limits. How often do we have several months of freedom to accomplish anything we want?

Maybe never again.

Once you graduate college, summer vacation no longer exists because most work schedules are year-round.

We have no more vacation time, and that's just our reality.

I can only imagine what I could accomplish if I had three months to myself now. But, it’s hard to see how valuable time is until you don’t have any left.

So, take advantage of this incredible opportunity because it’s maybe a once-in-a-lifetime chance to go above beyond without anything holding you back.

And, if you need a little encouragement, here are 17 reasons you should work like an animal now to speed up your success:

1. There’s less competition.

Everyone is either relaxing, partying or watching TV. Take advantage of the numerous summer programs to accelerate your education because you'll be competing against fewer applicants.

2. Keep your memory fresh.

Taking several months off from doing anything that requires your mind to be actively solving problems hurts your memory.

By keeping your mind fresh and active, you’ll be miles ahead of your peers when you return to school.

3. Graduate early.

It’s hard to start achieving success in college because you spend time in class and participate in many social activities.

The sooner you graduate, the sooner you can start chasing your goals.

4. Dreams don’t wait for you to accomplish them.

Are you an entrepreneur or a wantrepreneur? If you want to achieve something big, every day counts. Vacations only happen once you champion your dream.

5. Fewer distractions.

Studying in your college library during summer is incredibly blissful. There's no yelling, and you have the best study areas all to yourself.

It makes a world of difference in how much you can learn when you have zero distractions.

6. Learn a new language.

Speaking a new language a few hours a day before college starts up again is priceless.

From Spanish to German, being bilingual will not only help you communicate with millions of more people, but it will also translate to a huge bump in your future salary.

7. Write a novel.

If you write a thousand words every day, you’ll have enough time to write and edit a novel in several months. How cool is that?

8. Create a story worth writing about.

If you can’t find any good ideas to write about, make this summer an incredible one by living an adventure that’s worth a story.

From traveling abroad to hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, the opportunities are endless.

9. Start a blog.

Starting a blog is easy. However, if you want to create a successful one, several months of writing and learning marketing will give you a great head start.

10. Learn to code.

Want to make yourself a valuable employee? Take an online course in a popular coding language that will take up your work contribution value several notches.

11. Start a crowdfunding campaign.

We all have creative ideas where we want to sell something and create a community around it.

Why not crowdfund your idea as a way to jumpstart your career? Even if the campaign fails, the learning experience is well worth it.

12. Become a certified yoga teacher or personal trainer.

You don’t have to love physical exercise to get your credentials.

If you’re interested in what it takes to stay in shape, why not study the exercise field for several months and earn some valuable credentials?

13. Earn your real estate license.

Have you ever had a passion for selling real estate? Me neither. But, for those who do, three months is the perfect amount of time to get your real estate license.

From making money on referrals to selling a couple of properties, you can pay off an enormous chunk of your college tuition.

14. Get ripped.

Why not revamp your lifestyle? Three months on a great diet and exercise routine can do wonders for your health and energy levels.

15. Mentor someone.

What you can accomplish for others will always be more important than what you can do for yourself.

Also, when you teach others to overcome obstacles, you gain a better understanding of what you teach and are pressured to live by example.

16. Learn to defend yourself.

Why not take jiu-jitsu or boxing classes for several months? One summer of learning how to protect yourself will give you confidence, get you in shape and give you the know-how to take action in dangerous situations.

17. Get in touch with people you look up to

You’d be surprised by how easy it is to get in contact with influencers. Since so many people don’t bother to reach out to people who can make career moves for them, sometimes it leaves an open lane for those who try.

I suggest approaching them from a “looking for some career and life advice over coffee” standpoint.

If you’re ambitious, you can combine several of these suggestions and make your summer one that will propel you to incredible heights of success. Good luck!