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November 18, 2025 14 mins

In this episode, Nicky unpacks the how  to keep your hustle healthy ... not just in theory, but in practice.

Using a powerful metaphor of the palm tree (strong roots, flexible in the wind), Nicky introduces her Healthy Hustle Framework, a four-part blueprint to help leaders, founders and high-performing humans stay anchored during chaos without losing momentum. Whether you're deep in team leadership, sales pressure or juggling life admin, this episode breaks down the what, how, when and why behind sustainable success.

Expect self-assessment prompts, and a practical reset so you can stop spinning and start leading with intention.

This is your permission slip to ditch the firefighting and build your grounded growth plan.

Learn more about Nicky at nickymiklos.com

Grab The Growth Code™ here!

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

Connect: LinkedIn | Instagram

Contact: 0403 191 404 | hello@nickymiklos.com


Music by Jules Miklos-Woodley

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
Hello, hello, you gorgeoushuman, and thank you so much for

(00:30):
joining me again for thisweek's episode of Smart Business
Growth.
Now, it's really easy to say,I've just got to keep my hustle
healthy, but how do we do that?
Many of us are being pulled ina million different directions,
being all things to all people,despite having a team or needing
to be the breadwinner for thefamily or whatever those

(00:51):
pressures and stresses are.
It can be so easy to say, yes,I need to make change, yes, I
need to find a different way ofworking, yes, I need to embrace
smart business growth.
But sometimes the challenge canbe in how to do it.
How do I keep my rootsgrounded?
How do I keep earthed andstrong despite everything that's
happening around me?

(01:12):
Because the problem can be thatwe get swept up into the storm
with no anchor and we startdrowning in this place of busy.
In the moments we startfirefighting, we start reacting.
And the mistake that we make inthat space is that we start to
see everything as urgent orevery task as equally important,

(01:34):
and we don't have the capacityand the space to actually pause
and prioritize.
When we start to see that notall tasks, not all meetings, not
all conversations are equal interms of priorities, we can
start to manage things a littlebit differently.
But when we're swept up in thatchaos and we're worried about

(01:56):
the anchor of our roots, it'sreally hard to get into that
place.
So we need a framework that canbe that anchor, that can help
you build the roots and groundthose roots day to day over
time.
And that's where this healthyhustle framework comes into
place.
And I'm going to break it downfor you here.

(02:16):
So let me introduce you to thishealthy hustle framework.
Again, it could be salesframework, leadership framework,
insert, because really this isabout keeping our hustle
healthy.
And when we have a framework,it's kind of like the blueprint
to make sure that we can staygrounded amongst all of the
chaos.
Imagine if we're looking at theinside of a tree and there's

(02:37):
rings within the tree.
This is there's four key ringsthat sit within each other, and
that is what makes up thishealthy hustle framework.
So at the heart, at the core ofthose rings, is really making
sure that you're taking actionwith purpose.
You don't want to confuseactivity with performance.

(02:59):
We need to switch this aroundand remember that not all
actions, not all tasks, not alldoing, as I said, is created
equal.
So this is why we look ataction through the lens of
action with purpose to move youtowards whatever your goals,
your wildly important goalsmight be.
So we're being more intentionalwith our action with purpose

(03:22):
than scattered doing things.
So a lot of people focus onaction and that's it.
You might be thinking, yep,great, I've got that under
control.
I'm really great atprioritizing what tasks need to
be done.
But the missed opportunity hereis accelerating those results
by embracing these other keyelements.
So at the core, we have actionwith purpose.

(03:45):
Instead of scattered, it'sintentional.
The next ring that sits aroundit is energy.
How we show up.
So the action with purpose isabout what we're doing.
Energy is about how we'rerocking up to the things that
we're doing.
You know, I really believe thatour energy is our most
under-leveraged and undervaluedin a lot of instances asset.

(04:09):
And if we can actually shiftthe perspective and thinking
around managing our energy, asopposed to looking at time
management tools, remember timeis fixed and energy is flexible,
then that's when we reallystart to maximize what it is
that we're doing.
This is about, you know, sales,business growth, leadership.
It's really an energy game.
And so it allows us to leadconversations, meetings,

(04:32):
creating new processes, whateverthose projects might be, we get
to be more proactive in how weshow up around it instead of
just being reactive to whatwe're doing.
So energy is what makes ourresults scalable.
Think about it.
When you rock up to a meetingor a conversation and you have
you have leaky energy, that'swhen it maybe doesn't go as

(04:55):
well.
But when you rock up withoptimal energy, the results are
accelerated.
The next ring around the circleis effort.
So if the action with purposeis the what, the energy is the
how, effort or return on effortis the when.
This isn't just about slowingdown, right?

(05:17):
Like healthy hustle is notactually always about slowing
down.
Yes, it might be about creatingmoments of pause.
Sometimes we need to slow downto speed up, but it's actually
being more strategic with thingslike what we're focusing on,
how we're managing our energy,and our return on effort.
We all have different times ofday or tasks that actually allow

(05:38):
us to bring the best ofourselves.
So if we can get strategicabout how we're executing our
actions, how we're working withour energy, we start to drive
results instead of just chasingnumbers.
This is things like beingstrategic about when to contact
clients, when to have meetings,when to focus on different types
of tasks.

(05:58):
You know, this can translateover into life.
I know for me, if I exercisereally early in the morning, I
am absolutely shattered by 6p.m.
But for other people, that'swhen the exercise suits them
best.
They exercise at 5:30, 6 a.m.
and they have optimal energythroughout the day.
There is no right or wrong withthis.
It's about understanding whatis your return on effort.

(06:20):
We can be doing the same thing,i.e.
exercise, but just shifting thetime of day we're doing it or
the type of exercise we do canactually really, really impact
and shift the impact that thatexercise or that task has.
So we can translate this intothe work environment as well.
Again, meeting times, scheduledconversations, different tasks

(06:43):
that you're doing, admin,working on the numbers, your
zero updates, whatever it mightbe, talking with your finance
team, whatever it might be.
It's about being conscious ofwhen am I doing this and is it
the best time to get return oneffort?
So we've got action withpurpose.
Sitting around that is managingour energy.
Sitting around that is returnon effort, i.e.

(07:04):
when we're doing it.
And what encapsulate all ofthis, what surrounds all of this
is understanding your personalpurpose, your why.
Why do you do what you do?
What gets you out of bed in themorning?
When you have clarity on yourpersonal purpose, it is what
helps you get through thechallenging days.

(07:26):
And we all have them.
So this is not aboutmotivation.
When we know what our purposeis and our why, it actually
gives us meaning to what we do.
A big conversation I have a lotwith sales leaders is that
we'll be following up withsalespeople around, you know, if
you get hit your target, youget commission.
It's never about thecommission.

(07:46):
It's actually not about themoney.
When you're hitting revenuetargets as a business owner, as
a leader, it's not about themoney.
It's about what that moneygives you.
So when we start to shift theconversation from hitting this
target to get commission orhitting this target to get
money, moving that to we want tohit this target so you can go

(08:08):
to Italy.
We want to hit this target soyou've got security for your
family.
Now, you might not say thosewords to your team, but you're
thinking these things foryourself.
And if you are a leader of ateam, ask them, why does this
stuff matter to them?
Why do you and why did they getout of bed and come to work
every day?
A quick interruption to thispodcast episode.

(08:28):
I'm really curious, do you wantto close more sales in less
time?
If the answer is yes, which Ihope that it is, then you need
to get your hands on the growthcode.
It is going to give you threeproven frameworks and tools that
will help future-proof yourbusiness and scale with clarity.
All you have to do is head downto the show notes and click the

(08:49):
link below.
Different people will havedifferent purposes, and it's not
about one is good or the otheris bad.
Some might be really bigpicture, they want to make an
impact.
Others might be, I just want tocome to work and get my money,
and that's okay, because again,it's not about the money, it's
about what the money gives them.
So again, I'm looking at thisfrom two angles.

(09:09):
As a leader, as a businessowner, and you have a team.
How can you bring thisconversation to your team
members?
But also for you, check in withthis because guaranteed it's on
those hard days that actuallyknowing your purpose will get
you out of bed and keep going.
And yes, it could be aboutimpact, but again, it could be
about that trip to Italy.
It could be about buying thenew e-bikes for your family to

(09:32):
enjoy.
Okay, so no judgment about big,little, small.
Also, it might change.
Uh, don't judge it.
Just go with something thatwill mean something to you.
Because when you're clear onyour personal purpose or your
why, you could even look at itas why.
Uh, when you're clear on that,it's no longer about being
motivated, because relying onmotivation on its own can be
very fickle.

(09:52):
But when we see meaning insomething, that's when
motivation takes care of itself.
So, to recap, the healthyhustle framework to keep you
grounded, you've got to getclear on what is your action
with purpose.
You then want to overlayoptimal energy with that.
You're then being strategicabout your return on effort when

(10:12):
you do said actions withpurpose.
And then you are connectedinstead of being disconnected to
your why, you're connected toyour why, even if it's your why
for the next quarter, sixmonths, or year.
Or maybe it's bigger than that.
That's up to you.
When you have these four keyareas in place, you will be
grounded, you will have ananchor to come back to.

(10:34):
No matter how much the wind,the chaos has you swaying in the
wind, you will still come backand you will not break.
Again, I encourage you to thinkabout this for yourself.
And then you can look at what'sthe conversation I can have
with my team.
Now give yourself a rating foraction with purpose.

(10:54):
Where would you rate yourselfout of 10?
Are you just actually focusingon busy and tasks that don't
move you towards the dial?
Or are you feeling like you'rebeing more intentional with what
you're doing and what you'refocusing on?
Rate yourself out of 10.
10 would be, yep, I'm reallyintentional with the tasks that
I'm getting done.
One would be, no, I am busy.

(11:15):
I don't even know what I'mdoing.
I'm just focusing on the mosturgent thing that comes in front
of me.
So rate yourself out of 10.
Optimal energy.
Where would you rate yourselfout of 10?
Do you feel like zapped?
You know, there's a differencebetween completely exhausted and
zapped versus, yeah, I'm a bittired.
We get to the end of the dayand say, I'm pretty exhausted.
But you know that differencewhere you're really zapped, like

(11:38):
to the bone, that would be aone.
10 out of 10 is optimal energy.
I can face whatever the daythrows at me, even though it
might not always be the bestthings that are being thrown at
me.
So, where do you rate yourselfout of 10?
When we look at return oneffort, being strategic about
when you do your action withpurpose, meetings,

(12:01):
conversations, uh, processes,are you actually being
deliberate and considering whenis the best time for me to do
that task or that thing to getgood return on effort?
Is it being del 10 out of 10 isdeliberate considered actually
conscious of that?
One out of 10 would be Ihaven't even thought of it.
Don't even know.

(12:22):
And then let's look at thefinal ring, the final layer that
really encompasses all of this.
Are you clear on your why?
Even if it is a why for thequarter, a why for the year,
doesn't have to be a massive bigpurpose.
But do you feel connected tothat why would be 10 out of 10.
10 out of 10 would be, yep,it's top of mind, it's relevant.

(12:43):
It's always kind of there inthe background.
Whereas one out of 10 would be,no, I have not, again, I
haven't even thought about it.
I'm completely disconnected tomy why.
So now when you look at yourratings, you've got a rating for
action with purpose, a ratingfor energy, a rating for effort,
and a rating for why, yourpurpose.
What is the area that you wantto celebrate?

(13:06):
What's the highest rating thatyou got?
And I really want you toacknowledge that and think about
how can I maintain this?
Why is this working so well forme?
And then look at your lowestscore and maybe think about
what's one thing that I could doto really start to improve or
increase the rating here.
If you feel like you actuallyscored lower than five in many

(13:27):
or all of them, don't beatyourself up about this.
It probably is an indicator andfeedback as to why things feel
so chaotic.
So actually, this is a goodthing because you're aware now
of four key areas that you canstart to focus on to feel more
grounded amongst the chaos.

(13:48):
And if you got above five orabove six and seven in each of
them, that is amazing.
How can you maintain that?
How do you keep rocking in allof those areas?
So, really, what this comesdown to is you're focusing on
the what, the how, the when, andthe why, but doing it in a way
that means something to you.
And that really helps you,again, stay grounded.

(14:09):
When you stay grounded andfocused on these areas, that's
when you can really achievemomentum.
Have fun with this and be kindto yourself through this
process.
And I'll see you next week.
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