Ever notice the pendulum really swings in the online space between ‘hustle’ and ‘flow’ and the ‘right’ way to get those epic business results - all year - and especially this time of year as we get into the holiday season?
One side of the extreme is all about hustle, hustle, hustle, and work harder to book those clients and make the most out of the big shopping days to hit those income goals.
The other, more spiritual side to business teaches being “in the flow” and allowing business to magically unfold, with a focus on self-care and zero hustle. (btw, I am all about self-care and the spiritual side of things. Not knocking either.)
Both sides claim that their way IS how you get those shiny income results, and both sides kinda hate on the other. Which can be hella confusing. Which one is it? Hustle or flow?
My answer? Both and neither.
Instead, I’d like to offer what I like to call “healthy hustle.”
Healthy hustle is all about combining that needed aligned action AND self-care, flowy energy to find *your* pace that matches *your* business’ current business goals. It takes into account the season of business you’re in and what your business actually needs from you to get the results you want.
It’s not about the number of hours worked, but about the intentionality and focus behind those hours.
It’s about consistently taking action on the simple strategy that moves your business forward and letting that be more than enough.
It’s about working smarter, not harder.
And, it’s about letting the pendulum swing back to center instead of out to either extreme.
When you’re in healthy hustle, you take action from an intentional, aligned, grounded, and confident space - you bring that flow to your hustle. And, you take time for true self-care instead of checking out and ignoring business needs.
Because whether you’re hustlin’ harder or ALL about the flow in your business, there’s a chance you’re attaching your personal, emotional needs to what your business needs. #beinghuman
For example: if you’re not feeling good enough, feeling desperate for money, or needing validation, you might believe that grinding it out in business is one way to fill those emotional holes.
Working harder and harder might feel self-soothing and give you that feeling that you’ve ‘earned’ it, ‘deserve’ it, are doing ‘enough’, or even get you that gold-star stamp of approval.
No shame - I’ll raise both hands on having to work through this story myself.
Or, maybe your tendency is to go the opposite way when you’re feeling not good enough or fearful, and you use self-care and flow to hide behind and tap out so you don’t have to show up for your business.
Either way, said with all the love in the world, it’s using your business to hide behind and self-soothe instead of getting clear on the healthy hustle your business needs from you.
Are you using your hustle (or lack of it) to self-soothe not-good-enough feelings?
How would you show up if you stopped expecting to get your esteem from your work?
This holiday season, as you’re hearing the message to take more action in one post and to chill out in another, instead of getting pulled into either extreme and having emotion run your business, ask yourself, “What does my business need from me to keep moving forward? What’s the healthy hustle that gets me there this season?”
Wishing you your version of success.
