The Invisible Hustle
Solo Episode
Happy Healthy Hustle Podcast by Dr. Christiane Schroeter
Episode 63 | 5/23/2025
TL;DR
This episode dives into the real, unseen work behind success. Through a surprising moment in a German nightclub, I explore the “iceberg illusion” and how small, behind-the-scenes habits—what I call petite practices—are what truly build momentum.
Episode Highlights
- [00:00:28] A memory from my favorite German nightclub
- [00:01:06] The behind-the-scenes surprise that changed how I saw success
- [00:01:47] The iceberg illusion—what people miss about success
- [00:02:28] Petite Practice: small actions that build long-term momentum
- [00:03:06] Why micro-habits signal safety to your nervous system
- [00:03:48] Your real work is often the part no one sees
- [00:04:15] Final reminder: your small wins are the foundation
What This Episode Is Really About
We all love the polished, stage-ready version of success we see online. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. In this episode, I share a story from my teenage years that completely shifted how I define success—and how I coach it today.
If you’ve ever felt like your work is invisible or not enough, this one’s for you.
“The party you see is made possible by what happens when no one’s watching."
Christiane Schroeter
Behind-the-Scenes Lessons That Build Confidence
The Iceberg Illusion
What we admire in others – confidence, results, and visibility – is just the tip.
Beneath it?
Long nights, quiet discipline, self-doubt, and years of practice. Real growth is invisible to most people.
But you feel it.
What is 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.
My Dance Club Story
In my younger years in Germany, I adored one magical dance club—balconies, lights, flawless music. One morning, I went back to retrieve a forgotten jacket and saw the reality. Scrubbed floors. Lights being tested. Audio gear being fine-tuned. That was the real work.
Success is not magic, it is maintenance.
What That Has to Do with You
Success isn’t magic. It’s maintenance. What others see as effortless in you is likely the result of hours of intention, learning, and micro-practices. This isn’t just a story, it’s a mindset shift.
Petite Practice in Real Life
- Wipe the floor before the party: Do the small thing now. Even if no one sees it. Especially then.
- Take a five-minute mindset reset: Set the tone before you open your laptop.
- Write down one win at the end of each day: Teach your nervous system to trust your follow-through.
Each time you complete a Petite Practice™, you teach your body: I can be trusted.
Final Thought: You’re Not Falling Behind
If your results feel invisible, if you think no one sees your effort—remember: you are laying the foundation. The lights are being tested. The floors are being scrubbed. When it’s time for your doors to open, you won’t just be ready. You’ll 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.
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
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Episode Keywords
Invisible hustle
Behind the scenese of success
Iceberg illusion psychology
Daily success rituals
How to build confidence
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.
