Smart Business Growth with Nicky & Ness

The 3 Ingredients for Healthy Hustle

• Nicky & Ness • Season 2 • Episode 21

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In this episode, Nicky and Ness dive into the concept of the "Healthy Hustle," a term they've coined and built their book around. They explore the idea of creating a business that thrives while still allowing space for life and personal fulfilment. Through personal stories and lessons learned, they discuss the importance of balancing drive, success, and boundaries to avoid burnout.

Episode Highlights:

  • The definition of a Healthy Hustle and why it matters
  • Personal experiences with burnout and unhealthy hustling
  • The importance of setting boundaries in business
  • How to manage energy and direction to achieve balance
  • Practical steps to create a sustainable and enjoyable hustle

Learn more about Nicky and Ness https://businesstogether.com.au

Buy a copy of Healthy Hustle: The New Blueprint to Thrive in Business & Life www.healthyhustle.com.au

Follow us on socials
Instagram - @b2businesstogether
Facebook - @B2BusinessTogether

Connect on LinkedIn
Nicky LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/connectwithnicky/
Ness LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessamedling/

Give us a call
Nicky Miklos-Woodley 0403 191 404
Vanessa (Ness) Medling 0400 226 875

Or send us an email hello@businesstogether.com.au

Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

Nicky:

Welcome to the Smart Business Growth Podcast with Nicky and Ness.

Ness:

We would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of country, the Turrbal and Bunurong people of Brisbane and Melbourne respectively, where Nicky

Ness:

and I both work and live both work and live.

Nicky:

So, Ness, by now it is no secret that you and I have written a book called Healthy Hustle the new blueprint to thrive in business and life, and so, yeah, we're a bit obsessed with this concept around healthy hustle. Just a little bit.

Ness:

Just a little bit, just a lot.

Nicky:

It's all consuming, it's our life, and there's a few reasons for that. I mean, there has to be something pretty compelling to entice two awesome human beings like us to write a book on a particular topic, and so I wanted to open today's episode by really getting an understanding of what does healthy hustle actually mean? Why does it matter to us? We've got a personal driver each in terms of why this matters, and I think that it's really great to share that, because I know for you listening, for those that are viewing the YouTube and listening here, you will have your own story, you will have your own version around this, and so it's about reflecting on.

Nicky:

We really want you to take away and reflect on is my hustle healthy or is it unhealthy? And that's going to be the key theme and topic for what we're going to talk about today, because if your hustle is healthy, you'll be a healthier no surprise, you'll be a healthier, happier person. Your business will be more sustainable, it will achieve a longer success and you'll be able to make a greater impact. And not only that, you'll actually have the energy to spend time with your family doing things that you enjoy. So it's kind of important, which is why we dedicate so much of our time and energy with our clients, and in fact it's the framework of everything we do. So, ness, maybe we kick off with you sharing a little bit about, kind of, why does this healthy hustle matter to you?

Ness:

It's really interesting because I reflect on. I know your reason why and we're going to get to that in a minute so I've never really had an experience that's connected me to feeling burnt out because of the way that I've worked and my work ethic. However, I do recall when I started my business back in 2015, my first business and I worked on this massive contract, which was huge to me at the time. It was my first 100K contract and it just took so much of it. So I was hustling, I was working long hours, I was all over the place with no boundaries around when I worked and when I didn't, especially because I was sharing care of my kids, so they weren't always at home and that would mean I'd often, you know, work late into the night or do weekend work. So it was just this belief system that I just have to keep going until I can make some money out of this business. And I just recall so distinctly the day that they signed the contract, like my proposal got accepted, and I remember coming out and I was elated because I knew what it meant, how much blood, sweat and tears went into it and how hard it was to well, I guess it was proving to myself that I could do it. And I got into the car and I rang my business coach at the time and he was like that's amazing and really excited for me.

Ness:

And I got home that night and like, oh, I just wanted to get champagne and celebrate and there was no one there, so my kids weren't home. I didn't have a partner. I kind of text my mum and my sister and my mum went that's nice to you. And I looked at the cat and I'm like you're not going to drink this bottle of champagne with me. So that, I think, was something that got me thinking around. I can't create a business that is all about financial success at any cost.

Ness:

Because I wanted more out of my life than that, and so the years that followed was really focused on how can I be successful in business and financially successful and still have a life, and so my kids were still young. I wanted to be able to spend time with them, you know, and fast forward now I have a beautiful partner in my life and I'm living in a whole different place and it's really different to what it was back then. But I know that that was because I just didn't want to be unhealthy, in the hustle and do nothing else except for focus on work, focus on money, and at the cost of everything. So for me that's a driver. And I see in other people that I come across, that we've worked with, that I talk to, who are on the unhealthy side and I know their relationships suffer and I know their health suffers and I know that they just you know that what is it? The endorphin hit of getting something across the road or making good money or winning a big contract isn't enough. So that's what drives me.

Nicky:

Yeah, I think it's also a really important perspective, because not everybody experiences burnout, thank goodness, and we don't want people to, but that doesn't mean that healthy hustle doesn't apply. So you know, I think that's a really important message around. Healthy hustle isn't just about avoiding burnout. That's a piece of it, or you don't have to have had experienced burnout for this to be relevant. So I think that's actually a really important point. And I know you know, even from those early days in business, because obviously we've known each other for such a long time that boundaries have been a really big key thing, and it's the boundaries that help create that healthy hustle, because business can be really lonely.

Nicky:

So when you're there with a bottle of champagne on your own and you're lonely and you know it might be an opportunity if anybody resonates to kind of reflect well, actually, am I sacrificing nurturing relationships for the sake of those financial gains? And another really important point here is that, yes, we want those financial wins, we want those clients, we want those financial gains. And here's the thing about healthy hustle. The reason we're passionate about healthy hustle and we keep the hustle there is that we want that tenacity, that drive, we want to strive for growth, we want to increase our profit, increase our targets. It's not about taking that away, it's about keeping that and doing it in a way where we have the people around us that feel seen and supported and cared for by us as well, as they're there for us as well, if that makes sense, that nurturing of relationships.

Ness:

Yeah, it's so true Because when I reflect on that time when I was in that sort of startup mode in that business, it really I stopped seeing my friends, I stopped being social and doing things. And you know, like if the kids weren't home on a weekend I'd be like great opportunity to get stuck into some work, and if they were there I still kind of did that anyway. So it's that whole thing around. I wasn't prioritizing my life, I was just focused solely on the business and I guess in my mind I went, oh, it doesn't matter, I don't have anyone in my world, I could do whatever I want, but it wasn't what I really wanted in my heart and so now that's changed.

Nicky:

That's another really cool point around. Sometimes when we have partners, kids, it's almost like enforced boundaries, which can be quite helpful sometimes. But it's almost like a good question to ask yourself and ask ourselves is if I didn't have that person that I had to go and cook dinner for or have dinner with, would I keep working or would I actually have some boundaries in place Because it's so much easier and that's one of the techniques we actually talk about and I know I use it for myself.

Nicky:

It's like, okay, I'll make sure I've got something organized with Jules, because I don't want to let her down, so I'll finish working, but we have to be able to. That's fine for a short period of time, but we have to be able to have those boundaries in place regardless. So I feel like already there's some really great insight into this healthy hustle piece and, as you mentioned, I did experience burnout in 2012,. But the thing that really gets me about it is it's not even so much the burnout.

Nicky:

It's the fact that I had this experience where I was all things to all people in the lead up. You know, I was studying at uni. I just had a what's it called A promotion, a career promotion. So I was stepping into a big role, a sales director role. I was leading over 100 people, I was planning a wedding, got married that same year, all these really big projects, and I still took so much pride in being the person that everyone could rely on. You know, like no was not in my vocabulary, overwhelmed was my middle name and busy was my badge of honor. Like seriously. So yeah, in that year I ended up hitting that burnout wall and essentially I didn't recognize myself. You know, I had gone from being five out of five in all my training. Feedback forms for enthusiasm.

Ness:

Yep, those of you who know me not surprised to all of a sudden not caring, all of a sudden feeling like I actually just didn't care.

Nicky:

I couldn't keep going. I did not recognize my energy, my body, my mind and I just completely disassociated from the world and it was scary. So that in itself it was scary, but the thing that really gets me is that, fast forward a few months. I am lying on the floor of Jules's office and she's like what's wrong. My body was jelly, I couldn't lift my head. She takes me to emergency and later on, when I looked at the release forms, I felt such shame and embarrassment because it was a panic attack. So all that commotion from a panic attack, and then fast forward another couple of years. I got pneumonia from working too hard. So the thing that really gets me, or got me, was why does this keep happening? Yeah, yeah, why do I keep pushing? Why am I subscribing to this?

Nicky:

Hustle, go, go, go, go, go, push till you drop. You know I had goals that I wanted to achieve, but there had to be a better way and what I realized is, in my world at that time, there were only two options Hustle hard, push till you drop and succeed on the outside that's what it looks like or be lazy, don't do anything, stagnate, don't be successful, like actually they were kind of the two definitions and the narratives, and I think that a lot of people would kind of feel that way. But that is where I know for myself. I was like I'm on a mission, I need to change this. There has to be another way, there's got to be a better way, and that's where I went okay, hold up. What could this healthy hustle be? Now, at the time I didn't know it was called healthy hustle. Yeah, that's right, but it's like what's that? How can I succeed and not at cost of life, not at cost of health?

Nicky:

So when we talk about that definition of healthy hustle today, it's something that's really been developed and created from both of us over the last decade. And really, when we look at that definition, for those of you that are joining us for this ride, it's about how do we have drive and determination, succeed, but not at all costs. We have drive and determination, succeed, but not at all costs. How do we prioritize life just as much as our business or our career or whatever that thing is that we're striving for, when we find that balance of knowing when to push because, like you said, not just in the early days. I mean we've been doing some hustling to get the book out, that's for sure, that's right. That balance of when to push but then that balance of when to pull back, how do we make that hustle healthy and more enjoyable? Because it's not about not going for things, striving for things. And that sweet spot of the push and the pull, that sweet spot is healthy hustle.

Ness:

I think it's just so important that people hear a definition around healthy hustle because, like you probably not to the extreme of you've described it, but I remember when leading up to starting my first business, I had a mentor who was hustle, hustle, hustle, like a female who was married but had no children.

Ness:

I was a single mom and I had two kids and you know I looked at what she did to create success in her business and the reality was that I could never do that in my business.

Ness:

So for me it was I have to hustle so hard and the reality is you know the Gary Bees and the Grant Cardones and you know just like ooh, hustle, hustle at the time and I did have a belief then that maybe I can't be successful in business because I can't stay up till 3am in the morning and work and work at all costs.

Ness:

So I really, really hope that if anybody else is out there in the world of business, either for yourselves or as a leader in a business, and you have also bought into hustle culture and the like you said, the badge of busy really stop and have a think about there is a different way, because what we have found for ourselves and for our clients is you can have both. You can have success and a life. You can actually find a way that's healthy for you to hustle because I love what you said the push and pull because we're not saying there aren't times like you just alluded to the book where we've had to do the longer hours or whatever, but it's always a season and we are always able to step back and just bring it back into alignment with how we want to work.

Nicky:

Exactly Because the hustle is momentum. If we think about stress, positive stress is needed to create enough momentum to move forward. That's essentially what hustle, that's a part of the hustle as well, right? So if we completely take that away, yeah, we might stagnate, we might plateau, we might not have the right momentum. So and I think you had a really good reminder there around what healthy hustle is for one can be different for another, and I mean I don't care if you have kids or not. Who wants to stay out working till three? You know, really, I love what I do. I am so passionate, but I also love my sleep, and if I'm not sleeping, I've got other fun things to be doing until three.

Ness:

Well, that could be taken so many different ways, so let's continue. I meant like going out having a party, you know, like, of course so what was it for you then, Nicky, that started to shift this sort of definition, I guess, around hustle into a healthy hustle? What? What are the key ingredients?

Nicky:

such a good question, and obviously well not obviously, but something I've really been leaning sort of definition, I guess around hustle into a healthy hustle. What are the key ingredients? Such a good question and obviously. Well, not obviously, but something I've really been leaning into, thinking about. And if I had to break it down to three, what I realized was missing because of my repeat patterns, because I'd be remiss, not to say, after that first experience where I experienced burnout, I couldn't work for a couple of months that was before I went to, was rushed to emergency.

Nicky:

After that I was like, right, I'm going to be the best at beating burnout, I am going to succeed at this self-care thing. And I tell you, I threw myself into it. I remember I read a Louise Hay book that was all about self-care. So I was doing like the self-affirmation, self-care affirmations, whilst moisturizing. In the morning I scheduled hammock time, I scheduled bath time, I upped yoga classes, upped the psychology, like I did it all. And I had my self-care checklist and it was like boom, boom, boom, boom. I am freaking awesome at this.

Ness:

So then you, you know imagine.

Nicky:

My surprise and I was like hang on a second, that didn't work.

Ness:

All that didn't work and I'm like what did? I do wrong. What was missing? Now I realize well. A, you can over schedule self care.

Nicky:

You're bringing a hustle mentality Exactly, which is a repeat pattern. I'm also not going to lie, because sometimes you or Jules were like are you scoring yourself on that?

Ness:

right now Are you writing yourself like old habits die hard.

Nicky:

But what I really realized is that, regardless of all of that and self-care is important, of course but what I realized is that my beliefs were not supporting me. So my belief around success, my belief around hustle, my belief around my identity and who I am, if I say no to people, you know that kind of thing Because, again, I was the person that everyone could rely on, that's what I thought. But I'm sure I say no to people, you know that kind of thing Because, again, I was the person that everyone could rely on. That's what I thought. But I'm sure I was letting people down all over the place, I'm sure. But so my beliefs weren't supporting me to thrive in a whole bunch of areas, which means it doesn't matter what self-care rituals I do, I will still fall into the repeat pattern.

Nicky:

I was not managing my energy effectively. So instead of looking at a self-care checklist now, I look at it like well, how am I managing my energy? Because today is going to be different to yesterday, is different to tomorrow. As a woman who menstruates, it's different in each cycle stage, post-menopausal women it is all different for each of us at our unique stage of life I mean the year I find it's easier to do things in spring. Surprise, I don't know how you are in Melbourne, to be honest, because I feel like I would not. Anyway, that's another subject.

Nicky:

So, managing effectively our energy, effectively with our environment and external and internal, and also I didn't have enough clarity of direction. So I had a lot of things I wanted to do and get done, but I didn't have the perspective of what's most important right now. So what's the direction? So I can actually prioritize and that doesn't mean having the biggest, bestest goals, and you know, I think, and we'll talk more about that but just some direction. So I know what to say no to, so I know what to prioritize, and direction for business or work and for personal. So, if I break it down, you know, it's around beliefs, it's around energy and it's around direction, which I was very excited, ness, when we realized it spells out the word bed.

Nicky:

I mean bed is important.

Ness:

I know sleep is one of the biggest game changers for me in managing energy ever, so I love that. It really is Beliefs energy direction. It's a really good memory tool. I really must go to bed early tonight.

Nicky:

Yes, that's a good reminder for a couple of reasons.

Ness:

Yeah, exactly. So I love that. I love that you've been able to break it down into those three areas, because I can imagine that you know, back at the time when I was struggling with this concept around, like I truly believed I couldn't have business success and a relationship. I couldn't, you know, be able to switch off and turn off and be a full-time mom. You know sort of like there was the and or thing.

Ness:

So clearly my beliefs were a big starting point in beginning to shift this view around about how I want to experience success. And then you know energy as well. But also I contribute that you know the direction piece. Until we started business together and we created the framework and ran our plan on a page and our 90-day goals and we have all the structure around that, I'd never been really really clear on the direction my business is going in and also life. You know, moving to Melbourne last year was I was very clear around what I wanted to achieve from that move. So there was direction in business and direction in life over the last few years, which has been such a big precursor to ensuring that I am healthy in my hustle. So I love that.

Nicky:

And isn't it obvious now? Yes, when we look back, it's like, oh, that makes sense. Now I will say, because we know this, it doesn't mean we're always awesome at it, it's still a journey. We still need to be reminded.

Ness:

That's really important.

Nicky:

However, when we have we still need to be reminded, you know, like that's really important. However, when we have this information, you know there's that saying knowledge is power. I actually think a more accurate statement is knowledge is potential power. It's what we do with it. And it's about going. You know, I'm going to have a crack. I'm going to work on my beliefs, I'm going to manage my energy. I'm going to go to bed earlier. Okay, I sucked at it the last two nights, that's okay. Today is a new day. So it's about incremental growth and if we think about, you know, the work of James Clear, Clear, Cleary Clear yeah, Anatomy of Habits it's about the incremental, it's about the 1%, and that's really relevant for bed as well.

Ness:

Beliefs energy direction Awesome. So, Nicky, in wrapping up, what would you say the actionable action is for our listeners and viewers today?

Nicky:

So I would love for everybody who has joined us for this conversation to ask themselves is my hustle healthy or is my hustle unhealthy or is it somewhere in between? And we've given you the formula. If you don't know how to answer that question, again reflect Are my beliefs serving me? So I feel empowered. I have empowered truths, you know. You'll know the answer even just from the conversation. Trust your gut and your instinct. Am I managing my energy optimally? And you will know the answer to that. If you are bloody exhausted every single day and do I have some direction? Again, we're not talking. It doesn't have to be. I've got the rest of my life planned out. Do I have some direction? And if you have great beliefs that are serving you and all of this is an ongoing journey, but you've got beliefs that are serving you if you're managing your energy and if you have some direction, chances are your hustle is healthier, and that's what we want are, your hustle is healthier and that's what we want.

Ness:

Amazing. Thank you so much for sharing with us and really helping us to understand how we can define healthy hustle in order to be able to live it. So awesome work and love the book and can't wait to get it out to everybody who is keen to find out more.

Nicky:

And right back at you, because what I love about this is we have our own unique examples and scenarios, as does everybody who's listening, as does everybody that we work with. There is no one size that fits all to this, and this has been an incredible co creation, and I'm just so thrilled to be able to bring this to the world because it is an important message. So is your hustle healthy people. It is an important message. So is your hustle healthy people. Let us know. Let us know if it is. We'd love to hear from you and we can't wait to be back with you next week.

Ness:

Bye for now. Thanks for listening to today's ep. If you loved what you heard, connect with us over on LinkedIn and let's continue the conversation over there. Did you hear? You can now buy our book Healthy Hustle the New Blueprint to Thrive over there. Did you hear? You can now buy our book Healthy Hustle the new blueprint to thrive in business and life at healthyhustlecomau. Want us to speak to your team or run a workshop on healthy hustle in your workplace? Send us an email or go old school and give us a call to discuss. Until next time, happy listening and here's to thriving in business and life.