On Climbing the Wrong Mountain

“Sorry Grandma, I’m too busy.”

That annoying line.

I read it again.
Then again.
Then a fourth time.

After that, I dropped my phone, stood up, and just sat in the guilt.

It was like every bone in my body absorbed the shame all at once.

Let me back up.

I was at my mom’s house digging through the “charger drawer” when I found my old iPhone.

Out of curiosity, I plugged it in and booted it up.

The photos made me smile. Nostalgia does that.
But then I opened the messages app.

And at the top… was “Grandma Glo.”

I hesitated.
Took a deep breath.
Then tapped the thread.

The first message was simple.
She was reminding me that a package had arrived at her house—I'd shipped everything there at the time.

Then I scrolled.

That’s when the pattern revealed itself.

Within a span of 4 months, she asked me five separate times to spend time with her:

• Come watch a movie

• Grab lunch

• Go shop at Payless (her favorite)

• Just hang out

And my response?
Every time:

Now here’s the real question:

Was I busy with my agenda?

Or was I just following someone else’s?

At that time, I was deep in the "hustle" culture—working 90 to 100-hour weeks like it was a badge of honor.

I ghosted almost every important relationship in my life.
Because I thought that’s what it took to win.

If I didn’t work weekends, I didn’t “want it bad enough.”
If I wasn’t doing 16-hour days, I was “lazy.”
If I wasn’t constantly grinding, I was just some amateur “who didn’t get it.”

That was the narrative.
And I bought it wholesale.

I climbed a mountain.

And when I got to the top, I realized:

I sacrificed memories, relationships, moments I’ll never get back…

All for what?
To prove I was committed?
To impress people I’ll never meet?

That’s the trap.

The trap of chasing someone else’s version of success.
The trap of assuming there’s only one “right” way.
The trap of letting your life be programmed by people louder than your own intuition.

So here’s the truth:

You don’t owe your time to hustle culture.
You owe it to what matters.

Sometimes that’s your mission.
Sometimes it’s your family.
Sometimes it’s just sitting with someone who loves you, watching a movie, and not checking your phone.

Because one day that person will be gone.

And those texts you didn’t answer will feel like bricks on your soul.

Climb your own mountain.

And don’t forget to look around while you’re climbing.
The good stuff is often right next to you—not just at the summit.

Adrian “I Miss My Grandma” Moreno