The Invisible Hustle
Date Published: May 23, 2025
happy healthy hustle podcast | Episode 63
Have you ever looked at someone’s success and thought, “Wow, they make it look effortless”? If so, this episode is for you.
In today’s episode, I take you back to a moment from my teenage years in Germany. What started as a fun night out at a favorite dance club turned into a powerful life lesson that shaped how I see hustle, success, and the work that happens behind the scenes.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
– Why “effortless” success is usually anything but
– The truth about the invisible hustle behind every polished moment
– What a forgotten jacket taught me about preparation and persistence
– Why “petite practice” is the foundation of long-term success
– How to build momentum without burning out
Listen to this episode here:
The Party Was Never Effortless – It Was Just Prepared
Back in Germany, my best friend and I would go to a stunning dance club every weekend. It felt like magic. The lights, the music, the energy. Everything was perfect.
But one morning, after we forgot our jackets, we returned to pick them up. And what we saw completely changed my perspective… Instead of silence, the club was full of people working. Crews were scrubbing floors, testing lights, checking the sound system, and preparing every detail for the next night.
What had felt magical the night before was actually the result of hours of invisible, unglamorous work.
That was the moment I truly understood what hustle means. Not the part everyone sees,
- the fun,
- the shine,
- the stage-ready polish.
Hustle is the part that happens when no one is watching.
What seems invisible today is the foundation for your breakthrough tomorrow.
The Icberg Illusion is Real
What is the Iceberg Illusion?
Most people only see the tip of your success. What they miss is the foundation underneath — the sleepless nights, the hard lessons, the quiet daily decisions to keep going.
This is what psychologists call the iceberg illusion.
- What appears to be overnight success is usually the result of years of consistency and quiet discipline.
- What feels like someone’s “big break” is usually just the first time others are paying attention.
Where Petite Practice Comes In
Instead of trying to do everything at once or wait for the perfect moment, I encourage you to focus on what I call petite practice. These are small, repeatable actions that build trust with yourself and lay the foundation for bigger breakthroughs.
Examples of petite practice:
-
Brushing off your desk before a client call
-
Taking a five-minute mindset reset before opening your laptop
-
Writing down one small win at the end of the day
These actions may seem tiny, but they matter. Each time you complete one, you show your nervous system that you are safe, consistent, and capable. Check out the episode for more tips.
Petite Practice™ is a small, repeatable action that builds trust with yourself and lays the foundation for bigger breakthroughs."
Christiane Schroeter
Three Reminders for the Hustle No One Sees
1. You are building, even when it feels slow
Every email you send, every time you show up when it would be easier not to…those small moments compound. They are your prep work for the bigger things ahead.
lPetite Practice™ creates momentum without the crash.
2. Your consistency matters more than your intensity
Sustainable success does not come from burnout. It comes from small steps taken with care, over time. Petite practice creates momentum without the crash.
3. The spotlight is not the start – it’s the result
What looks effortless is almost always the outcome of hours of effort no one saw. The confidence, clarity, and polish are built in the dark.
Bonus Recipe
My favorite Smoothie
Green Smoothie
A fresh, energizing smoothie we blend on repeat. Perfect for busy mornings or mid-day slumps when you need a quick boost of greens, fiber, and feel-good fuel in just minutes.
Final thought: Keep Showing Up
If you feel like your work isn’t paying off yet, or if you wonder why things look easier for someone else, remember the dance club. Remember the crews and the quiet effort.
Your version of that preparation is happening right now. It is happening in your late nights, your small wins, your daily routines. You are getting ready — even if it is not visible yet.
When your doors open, you won’t just be ready. You will be proud.
If this episode gave you a new perspective, I would love it if you shared it with a friend who needs a little encouragement today. And as always, come say hi on Instagram @doctor.christiane. I love hearing your stories and celebrating your progress with you.
Want Help Getting Visible – Your Way?
Ready to get visible in a way that feels like you (not a scary, shouty version of you)?
Apply for 1:1 coaching and start showing up with clarity, confidence, and connection.
Podcast Fan of the Week
Please leave a review on Apple Podcast
Please tell your friends and give me a rating or review. Many thanks in advance.
Christiane
Episode Keywords
invisible hustle
behind the scenes of success
iceberg illusion psychology
daily success rituals
how to build confidence with small wins
petite practice routine
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Episode Full Transcript
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:00]:
Hello there. Welcome back to the Happy Healthy Hustle. I’m your host, Dr. Christiane. Today’s episode is going to be a good one because we are traveling back in time. The Happy Healthy Hustle is where we’re keeping it real about what it actually takes to build a business, a life, and a rhythm that feels aligned. So let me take you back for a moment to my younger years in Germany. Every weekend, my best friend and I, we would head to our favorite dance club.
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:00:28]:
And it wasn’t just any club. It was stunning. It had multiple floors with balconies, a glowing central courtyard, music pulsing in perfect harmony with the lights, and an atmosphere that just made the night feel like magic. It was clean, vibrant, and just effortless to enjoy. And we always felt like the night just flew by. But one time we forgot our jackets there and I had to return the next morning to get it. We expected to walk into an empty space, maybe someone wiping down the counter. What we saw was completely different from what we expected and it completely changed how I understood success.
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:01:06]:
This dance club that we always went to was full of people during the day. Maintenance crews, sound techs, lighting experts, cleaners. They were scrubbing the floors, testing every light bulb, adjusting the audio system and preparing for the next night. And all of that glamour we experienced, it was just made possible by hours of very unglamorous, quite invisible work during the day. On the way home, we were kind of quiet because we realized something very, very powerful. The party we loved was not magic. It was actually work. And that’s what psychology refers to as the iceberg illusion.
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:01:47]:
Where people see the success, the confidence, the stage ready polish is only the very tip of the iceber. What they don’t see are the layers beneath the surface. The sleepless nights, the self doubt, the daily effort and the years of learning. And that’s where the real growth happens. People always fall for the myth of overnight success. But the truth is success that just appears sudden is usually the result of long term consistency and quiet discipline. What feels like someone’s big break is often just the first time. The years of effort are finally visible to others.
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:02:28]:
And here’s where petite practice comes in. Instead of waiting for the perfect day or forcing yourself into hustle overdrive, think about the backstage work as a series of small intentional actions. A petite practice is just that. It’s a micro action that creates momentum. It’s brushing off the floor before the guests arrive. It’s choosing a five minute mindset reset before you open your laptop. It’s writing down one win from the day, even if it feels small. And why does it work? Because your subconscious mind doesn’t just need you to conquer the whole goal.
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:06]:
It just needs to feel safe, capable and consistent. Each time you complete a petit practice, you teach your nervous system that you can be trusted to follow through. That builds confidence, clarity, and eventually compounding results. So here’s what I want you to take away from today. If you’ve ever looked at someone else’s success and wondered why it looks so easy for them, remember the dance club. Remember the cleaning crews. Remember the technicians and the lights being tested long before the doors opened. Your version of that is happening right now in the unseen part of your day.
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:03:48]:
The emails you write, the courage you show by showing up again and again and again. The tiny practices that feel almost too small to matter. They do matter. They are your preparation for the party. So keep going. Celebrate your small wins. Build your routines. Trust that what feels like it’s slowing you down today is actually laying the foundation for your big moment.
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:04:15]:
When it’s time to open your doors, you won’t just be ready. You’re proud. Thanks so much for tuning in. If today’s episode gave you a new perspective, share it with a friend who needs this reminder. And as always, I’ll see you next time. Inside the Happy, Healthy Hustle, where we embrace authenticity through life’s dualities, we unlock courage to step into the unknown, letting go of perfection and growing not just as professionals but but as human beings, creating ripples that transform our communities. My name is Dr. Christiane and I can’t wait to hear from you and see you on the next episode of the Happy, Healthy Hustle.
Dr. Christiane Schroeter [00:04:54]:
Thanks so much for tuning in.
