Holy Habits, Not Hustle Habits
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us.” — Hebrews 12:1
Introduction: Holy Habits Over Hustle Habits
November is a month when business pressures often intensify — Q4 deadlines, holiday launches, and the looming year-end reviews. For Catholic women in business, this season can feel like a sprint fueled by coffee, cortisol, and sheer grit. Yet the Church invites us into a different kind of training: not hustle habits, but holy habits.
This month’s prayer theme is Addictions & Discipline, and our guide is St. Charles Borromeo (1538–1584). As Archbishop of Milan, Charles reformed the Church with fierce discipline, balancing prayer with practical reforms that restored integrity among both clergy and laity. His feast on November 4 reminds us that saints aren’t superhuman; they are disciplined disciples.
As entrepreneurs, our greatest danger isn’t always failure. It can be distraction, overindulgence, or spiritual apathy. This month, here are four ways we can live the virtue of self-control to replace old patterns with life-giving rhythms, so we can close out the year spiritually fit and ready for Advent.
Recommit to Interior Discipline Before Advent
Business success demands consistency and so does holiness. Just as quarterly goals keep us aligned in work, spiritual non-negotiables anchor us in God’s plan. Without interior discipline, we risk treating faith as “optional,” while treating hustle as “essential.”
Action: Choose one daily non-negotiable (e.g., no skipping prayer time or daily spiritual reading).
Read more: The Freedom of Discipline
Fast from Autopilot Behaviors
Much of what derails us isn’t deliberate sin, but autopilot behaviors like scrolling, snacking, snapping at ourselves in negative self-talk. As entrepreneurs, unchecked habits drain our focus, dull our creativity, and weaken our discipline. Fasting clears space for freedom.
Action: Choose one habitual vice (sugar, scrolling, negative self-talk) and fast from it for seven days with intention.
Read more: 5 Tips for Cultivating Good Habits and Living Well
Build New Muscle for Virtue
Entrepreneurship is a workout of perseverance in which you keep pitching again after rejection, serving clients when energy is low, and showing up consistently. Spiritual discipline works the same way. By adding small acts of penance, we build resilience that spills into every area of life.
Action: Add one physical act of penance to your week (e.g., cold showers, no snacking, extra reps in your workout).
Read more: The Development of Virtue and Character
Lean on the Saints for Accountability
Entrepreneurship can feel lonely, but heaven gives us mentors. Saints are not just holy examples; they are active allies. Just as you’d hire a coach to push you past your comfort zone, you can choose a saint to hold you accountable and intercede daily for your growth in discipline.
Action: Choose one saint this month to be your “discipline coach” (e.g., St. Benedict of Nursia). Read their bio and ask for daily intercession.
Read more: 3 Monastic Practices that will improve your work life
Practical Reflection Box
3 Ways to Strengthen Holy Habits as a Catholic Entrepreneur
Audit your routines. Track one week of habits and identify what strengthens vs. sabotages your discipline.
Replace hustle with holiness. When tempted to overwork, pause and offer a short prayer for your clients or team.
Align your year-end review with Advent. Instead of only measuring profit and productivity, review how you’ve grown in virtue this year.
Closing Prayer
St. Charles Borromeo, you reformed the Church through prayer, penance, and perseverance. Help me reform the temple of my soul. Train me to walk in discipline, not in shame; in purpose, not in panic. May my small acts of sacrifice prepare my heart for Advent and make room for Christ. Amen.
Dr. Glory Enyinnaya is a management consultant who worked at Accenture before founding Kleos Advisory. She is a member of the faculty of Pan-Atlantic University in Nigeria. Glory is consecrated to Mary and serves as an official of the Legion of Mary in the Archdiocese of Lagos. She is a cooperator of Opus Dei and an Associate of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.