How and when we show up to do the work continues to change as technology and society shifts. As creative entrepreneurs, we have more control and choice when it comes to the way we work. So why do so many of us still get stuck in the expectations of others? Listen in as Emily and Corey of the Being Boss team take a deeper dive into the discussion of hustle. They share tips and tactics for understanding yourself and your business, what success looks like to you, and how you define hustle for yourself.
Get full shownotes for this episode here >>
How and when we show up to do the work continues to change as technology and society shifts. As creative entrepreneurs, we have more control and choice when it comes to the way we work. So why do so many of us still get stuck in the expectations of others? Listen in as Emily and Corey of the Being Boss team take a deeper dive into the discussion of hustle. They share tips and tactics for understanding yourself and your business, what success looks like to you, and how you define hustle for yourself.
Get full shownotes for this episode here >>
Welcome to Being Boss, a podcast for creatives, business owners and entrepreneurs who want to take control of their work and live life on their own terms. I'm your host, Emily Thompson, and in this episode I'm joined by my podcast pal Corey Winter, to talk about understanding yourself and your business and your version of success to discover how it is you work best. You can find all the tools, books, and links we reference on the show notes at www.beingboss.club. And if you like this episode, be sure to subscribe to this show and share us with a friend. Having a fulfilling career and succeeding in business are what we're all here to accomplish. Right? Well, if it resonates, then I've got a new show for you to check out that's all about educating you on how to best market yourself in the new digital age. It's called Big Brand Energy, hosted by Sophie Wilson, brought to you by the Hubspot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals with episodes on building an authentic brand and how business and online dating are the same. You'll get a fresh take on online marketing in the new year. Listen to Big Brand Energy wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, Corey.
Corey Winter:I'm your podcast pal.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Today you're my podcast pal.
Corey Winter:I'm gonna need a new nameplate.
Emily Thompson:Wait, what does that one say?
Corey Winter:Uh, my current one says, just professional nerd.
Emily Thompson:Professional nerd. Yeah. Yeah.
Corey Winter:But,
Emily Thompson:okay.
Corey Winter:You keep adding titles. I just.
Emily Thompson:You have to stop talking about this nameplate.
Corey Winter:Well, I, I don't know what my identity is. I need, I need nameplates to help me figure it out.
Emily Thompson:Our identities are ever changing.
Corey Winter:Oh, okay.
Emily Thompson:Ever changing.
Corey Winter:I have lost my identity.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Did you ever have it? Corey Winter: Hmm. Well, I thought I was a companion, but now I'm, I'm a pal. Oh, is that a promotion or a demotion or a lateral move? I'm not really sure. Corey and I haven't had the, an opportunity to chat in a hot minute. I just got a Corey story, which is really great. If you guys don't know, Corey tells really great stories.
Corey Winter:As I have been told.
Emily Thompson:About nonsense things. Um, so I just got a Corey story, excited to chat with him today. We're actually doing two episodes here together. You'll get the next one in a couple of weeks. Um, so we are diving into a couple of hours of recording together and we're just getting started and I already feel delirious, so let's dive in. Why wait?
Corey Winter:This is gonna go great.
Emily Thompson:Yep. It's gonna be great.
Corey Winter:Looking forward to it.
Emily Thompson:Alright, so we are here to do. Hmm. Do I wanna say another episode on hustling?
Corey Winter:It's a follow up.
Emily Thompson:Okay. A follow up.
Corey Winter:It's a continuation.
Emily Thompson:Indeed. A continuation of the conversation that we had, um, back, it was actually last year, maybe even. Over a year ago, once this goes live, episode 275, we had a conversation about whether or not we believe that hustle is good or bad. And I had the relatively unpopular opinion that it's neither and both, I don't think it's like, I'm not pro hustle culture of just like work for work sake as much as you can for fun or, and, and like, not even fun, but for accolades. And I don't think the hustlng is bad. I think it is an imperative part of operating a business in a capitalistic society. How about that? And I personally find fulfillment from a season of hustle. And I, I know that some people do. I also sort of redefined hustle a little bit as just working. I don't think hustle necessarily has to be, you know, working super hard for me, rest is a bit of a hustle, right? Like you have to sort of organize all the things in your work and life to give you the ability to take time off and do the things. So I see that as a bit of a hustle. Um, it's a whole thing. So if you want a refresher, go back. Listen to episode number 275. I talk about whether or not hustle is good or bad, or what that looks like. We are continuing that conversation here because that was a very popular episode. And I'm excited to,
Corey Winter:How was that a year ago? What? I was sitting here with my mind blown while you were saying all of that. That was, there was no way. That was a year ago. Yeah, that was a year ago. I felt like that was like three weeks ago tops.
Emily Thompson:No, a whole, I think that was like a December episode last year, right?
Corey Winter:Can confirm came out November 16th of last year.
Emily Thompson:November 16th.
Corey Winter:November 2021.
Emily Thompson:Oh, that's like as of recording this. That was a year ago, tomorrow.
Corey Winter:That's insane.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Yeah. Right?
Corey Winter:Okay. Sorry. That was a,
Emily Thompson:Where did the year go? I, as I was talking, I could see your face exploding.
Corey Winter:I was looking it up. Cause I did not believe you. I was like, did she just make a mistake? No. True story.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:Wow.
Emily Thompson:I don't make mistakes.
Corey Winter:Okay. So.
Emily Thompson:That's a lie everyone. That's a lie.
Corey Winter:So getting us back on rails, um, after a year, why are we revisiting, quote unquote, this topic?
Emily Thompson:We're revisiting this because. I think this one is sort of ever changing and two, work-life balance or flow. Um, the evolution of hustle culture, our experience within our own businesses is not one conversation. I have been coaching bosses for a decade.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:I still run a mastermind group with bosses who are, some of them are over 10 years in business, and we're still having conversations about what it looks like to show up and do the work that we feel needs to be done to evaluate what needs to be done and what doesn't need to be done, and how to find fulfillment in our work while also building a life that feels great. So really it's a follow up. We're never gonna be done having this conversation. There's so many layers to it, and I'm excited to sort of dive into another aspect of it. So I think we have this one scheduled to go up. You know, just after the new year, everyone's sort of putting all of their plans in place. Hopefully you have CEO Day Kit. Plug, shameless plug.
Corey Winter:beingboss.club/ceo
Emily Thompson:Perfect. Yep. That's where you can get it. Um, so hopefully you have your plan for the year in place and whenever I do this. I'm gonna share a little trick that I do on one of the exercises in that, cuz I still use CEO Day kit every single year for both of my businesses. Always have, probably always will. There's one exercise in there. It's called revenue and marketing. Yep, that's what it's called. Did you see me question myself? Mid word revenue and marketing, and it's sort of a calendar that you start putting one, your revenue goals and two, the marketing things that you're gonna be doing. But you can also put other things, things you're gonna be creating, um, Holidays, vacations, those sorts of things. The first thing I always do when I'm filling out this worksheet is I will label a month work or life.
Corey Winter:An entire month?
Emily Thompson:An entire month, and not necessarily that the entire month will be work or the entire month will be life, but if I know I'm gonna have a vacation in August, then I'm just gonna go ahead and put life on August. Even if it's just a week. If I have something big launching in April, then March and April are probably going to be very work focused.
Corey Winter:Okay.
Emily Thompson:And so I just go into it thinking about that divide between work and life and how they're both gonna flow together. So I think it's fun to talk about this as we go into the new year, to also look at how it is we're gonna define our hustle or how it is that we're, we're showing up to work over the next year, and I want everyone, what I want everyone to get out of this episode is a feeling as if you can move forward with your plans, feeling good about the amount of work required and that you're gonna put into it and the amount of time you're gonna take off to enjoy your life and do those sorts of things. So I hope to help everyone sort of define their version of hustle for the next year while we are here.
Corey Winter:Yeah. So that ties into our first topic about how you don't need to conform to society's version of hustle or anti hustle, cuz everybody's hustle looks different.
Emily Thompson:Absolutely. I mean, I'm even defining it different like I'm using the word differently so you can literally do whatever you want. Um, I don't believe that there are rules around these things if you, you know, Check out some hustle videos on YouTube. You're gonna hear all kinds of blueprints and to-dos, and you have
to, you know, wake up at 4:30 and not me, not by choice at least. So I want everyone to think about what their version of hustle looks like, and if hustle is a triggering word for you, just replace it when I say it with something else. I think the first thing that everyone should do is really look back at any time in their work and life scenario, their existence as a professional, and think about when your life and work felt good. And I encourage you to like write down some characteristics of that time. Your work and life, so were you, you know, had really steady clients and your life was super chill. Was it before you had kids or after you had kids, was it, you know, when your kids were a particular age? Was it when you were living in a particular location? Think about the characteristics of your life at that point and try to pinpoint what it was that made that period of your life feel so good. Corey, I see your face just working over there.
Corey Winter:Is it sad?
Emily Thompson:Share with me what you're thinking.
Corey Winter:Is it sad if like, the biggest, the, the first thing that comes to mind was like 10 years ago when I was like, just outta college and just everything was so easy. That's a long time ago.
Emily Thompson:You know what? I really loved being like 10 years old.
Corey Winter:Yeah.
Emily Thompson:My mom making me dinner. Right. Go a little beyond that. No. Okay. But I love that. Okay. Even if it is that. I also was just like when we were working in the office together, cuz I know you loved that life.
Corey Winter:Yeah. The only reason that one didn't come up first was because college sucked at that time, I had a full class load.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:But yeah, the, the work part of it. Yeah. That, that was a good time.
Emily Thompson:Oh, I guess you were still in college then, weren't you?
Corey Winter:Yeah.
Emily Thompson:I forgot about that. Okay. So then think about the characteristics of your life at that point. Maybe something new was happening, you were moving at that point too.
Corey Winter:Yep.
Emily Thompson:Am I correct? So you weren't moving closer to home to be with your, your family.
Corey Winter:Yeah. You, you had just left me. Um,
Emily Thompson:I did. Physically left. Moved away. Moved away.
Corey Winter:No. So yeah, I, yeah, going back to that point, just outta college, like I had that whole thing outta my way.
Emily Thompson:Mm-hmm.
Corey Winter:I was only working for Being Boss. I was living on my own for the first time. Had a cool little puppy. Fun times.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:Relaxing times.
Emily Thompson:Right? So you think about those times in your life and you think about ways you can maybe recreate or evolve some of those things that felt so good then and there. Whenever I think about this, I feel like one of the most like pinnacle points of my existence over the past couple of years, which is a very. Two kind of come up for me. One is like adventuring.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:If I'm just like traveling, that is everything to me. I will say what I did experience in that big road trip that we did back in 2015, which we did right after we started the podcast, so you can go back to some of those early episodes and probably hear a little bit about some of that.
Corey Winter:Otherwise known as when emily left me.
Emily Thompson:When, when I left, Corey, when I physically moved away. Um, one of the things that, or one of the things I learned during that is I don't want to travel and work. I just wanna travel cuz I was working on that. I was, that is for the birds. I am not a suitcase entrepreneur. I'm a work at home entrepreneur and then I'm traveling for fun, not working.
Corey Winter:So a little behind the scenes of Being Boss. So that was still relatively early days Being Boss podcast.
Emily Thompson:Mm-hmm.
Corey Winter:And you were on this 45, 45 day road trip, right?
Emily Thompson:40. 40 is biblical. 40 days.
Corey Winter:There were episodes that you literally recorded in a tent in the middle of nowhere.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Did I do that? Did I really do that?
Corey Winter:Yes. Cause I was so that upset with you. Cause it does not sound good.
Emily Thompson:I think there might have only been like one or two.
Corey Winter:There might have just been one. But yeah, I remember that episode.
Emily Thompson:You know what's great is I don't remember that. I have no memory of that whatsoever. Whatsoever. I love that. Um, yeah. I don't wanna travel and work. I'm not a suitcase entrepreneur. That is not the life for me. The second one that really comes up for me is when Kathleen and I were writing the Being Boss book. That was a time of like immense creativity where we had also emptied our calendars in a way that really allowed for that insane creativity that we were sort of outputting. We were like nurturing and then outputting, and I was very mindfully nurturing that creativity. I was going for hikes, I was doing yoga. I was like, I was living a life that allowed me to create in that way and that is like that pinnacle moment. If I like look back, that was work-life bliss at that point. So if you go read the Being Boss book, know that I was in the best state when I was writing that book, which has me thinking how can I use some of those, some of those characteristics and pull them into my life now to create a version of work-life balance or flow or hustle, or whatever you wanna call it, that feels good to me now. So I encourage everyone to do that little exercise, look back at your life, find the things, or find the moments that felt really good to you. Pinpoint the characteristics and try to pull them into right now or into the year ahead so you can, you can define what it looks like for you by looking at proof as to when it was working for you. Another tactic I like to use whenever, you know, looking ahead and trying to define what, what my year needs to look like, or for anyone who's trying to decide like what is that work-life balance, bliss for you is to look at what you're currently working on. So we just looked back. Now I want you to look at right now, what are you currently working on and do one of my favorite exercises that I talk about all the time. We'll include a link to a worksheet for it in the show notes for this episode, but it's a worksheet called What's Working, kind of Working, not working. It literally is just three columns and one column. You write down what's working one column, you write down what's kind of working, and then the third is what's not working and you get real, real with what's working, kind of working and not working in your life, and the way I like to deal with these is how can you double down on what's working, do more of that or make it work even better. If it's kind of working, what can you do to it to make it work, or does it just need to go and what's not working, probably just needs to go and you can use whatever criteria you want to define what's working, kind of working and not working. Love that for you, but look at what is currently on your plate and see really what you are working on unnecessarily. Because what I often find and what I love to do at the beginning of the year, or really any time, but beginning of the year is a great time to do it. Looking at this and weeding things out that you don't need to be doing because when you are just like head in the sand working, you just start doing things out of habit.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:Or because someone told you that it was a good idea, or et cetera, et cetera. When you can sit down and weed out those things and really pinpoint them and be like, okay, I need to be doing this. Great. Why am I still doing this thing? Get it off your plate. Then you're gonna be better defining what your workload looks like right now, or even what's happening in your life if you so choose to go that direction as well. So, a couple little tactics for really looking at what your version of hustle looks like, especially as you go into a brand new year.
Corey Winter:When you're doing this worksheet or just this exercise in general. I think it ties into how that, that. That old phrase we used to say on this podcast a lot is don't get caught in the comparison trap.
Emily Thompson:Mm.
Corey Winter:So when you're filling out this worksheet, don't think about what's working in the mindset of somebody else. Like think about specifically for you, what's making you happy? What's making you not happy.
Emily Thompson:Yep.
Corey Winter:So understanding that every business owner in every business is unique.
Emily Thompson:Amen. Corey.
Corey Winter:That was your segue to the next topic.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Yeah. Good job. No, you're totally right. That comparison trap of just because something's working for someone else does not mean it's working for you. Right. And really getting real, real about that and not feeling anything about it. Literally any feelings, not feeling shame that it's not working for you, et cetera. Not worth the time.
Corey Winter:I don't know why, but
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:TikTok comes to mind.
Emily Thompson:Social media in general is
Corey Winter:Well, yes.
Emily Thompson:What I'm thinking as well.
Corey Winter:True, but like tikTok. Some people, they love doing it and it's working for them, but if you just don't feel like you can put out good TikTok content, don't worry about it. Go put your focus somewhere else.
Emily Thompson:Indeed.
Corey Winter:TikTok sucks. Sorry, that's a personal feeling, but I just have to say it. I hate TikTok.
Emily Thompson:I will say, I think it's kind of funny.
Corey Winter:Okay.
Emily Thompson:I think it's kind of funny. Um, but also a waste of time and I'm not creating content for it. That definitely does not work for me, not what I need to be spending my time. Okay, so yes, let's look at this really understanding slash incredibly embracing that every business and every business owner is unique and really accepting that you might not find success or happiness, or you won't. I don't think you will at all find success or happiness if you are following someone else's expectations, routines, blueprints. You can look at those things for inspiration. I mean, that's totally fine. I love listening to other people's or reading about other people's morning routines. I love it. I think it, I find it incredibly inspirational. It's like a peak behind the scenes of what gets this person going in the morning, whatever it may be. Um, but I can do all of that and not at all need to adopt a single one of them for myself. And that's the, that's the lens through which I want all of you listening to look at routines, blueprints. Whatever it may be that you are getting fed as to how it is that you should be operating your business, doing your morning, you know, falling to sleep at night, marketing your business, whatever it may be, look at it, be inspired, take in the information, and then otherwise go do you.
Corey Winter:So here's a thought. Take from this what you will. If every business and every business owner did things the exact same way, there would be no business, there would be no competition. Businesses thrive on competition.
Emily Thompson:It'd be all competition.
Corey Winter:Well.
Emily Thompson:Maybe, but Yes, yes, yes. I see what you're saying. Sorry.
Corey Winter:Uh, so businesses thrive when they do things in their own unique way.
Emily Thompson:Mm-hmm.
Corey Winter:So if you're constantly comparing yourself to see what's working for other businesses, and you think it's gonna work for you. You're, you're not gonna do, you're not gonna thrive.
Emily Thompson:No. No. You're really not. And that's what we want. We want for you to thrive. Another aspect of this, of accepting your uniqueness, as a business owner and as a business, is also knowing what it is that you need. Because part of operating on someone else's blueprint or whatever, is that you were trying to reach their goals. But what is your goal? Like you have to define your goals for yourself, and this is one of those things. All of these things are not just relegated to people who are 1, 2, 3 years in business. These are cycles that I see business owners go through 5, 10, 15 years into business as well. We, it's so easy to slide back into this, the shoulds. Right. I should be doing this. I should be wanting that. I should be working towards this. I should be showing up to work today. I should, whatever it may be. Yeah, it, we all do it. We all do it. So I, I do wanna say that if you find yourself in this place, do not think that you're doing anything wrong. Know that you're just doing what everybody does. This is the one thing we all do share for sure. But what's really important to always do, and this is one of the reasons why I love CEO Day, and this was not supposed to be CEO Day Kit episode at all.
Corey Winter:That seems to happen every time you and I do an episode. I don't know why.
Emily Thompson:Because it's at the core of how it is that, you know, we do planning and show up in, in this business and both the businesses, it just, it's that much of a part of what we do for real.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:For real, for real. But what you have to define for yourself is what it is that you need. I oftentimes, when I'm coaching or talking to a boss, will find them working really hard, especially on money goals, working really hard on money goals. And I'm like, but is that what you need? And there's usually this moment of like, Hmm, maybe. I don't, I don't know. So knowing your numbers, is imperative, I believe, for defining how it is that you're gonna hustle. Because let's say you left a corporate job, have a crap ton of money in savings, you know, have a partner who's, you know, paying half the bill, whatever it may be. You are in a different place perhaps, than someone who is a single mom of two kids who you know, has, has no money in savings. There's gonna be different money goals there. And knowing what your numbers are. And working towards your numbers, both in money and I also wanna say in hours.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:Like how much you want or need to be working, I think is incredibly important for you to be able to define. What work looks like for you. So if you haven't already figured that out for yourself this year, sit down, run your numbers, find out how much money you need to have from your business and your personal bank account. Do some like reverse mathing. I made that up. Reverse mathing.
Corey Winter:I think it's just math.
Emily Thompson:Yep. That, but it's the act of it. It's, I verbed it.
Corey Winter:Yep.
Emily Thompson:Do your reverse math to figure out how much money your business needs to make and then map your year based on that. I find it really difficult to no like listen to a boss and like, I don't, I don't wanna hear them, but like, I like emotionally. I find it really hard when I am talking to a boss who has this idea that they wanna have, you know, a six figure business, which I, these days you kind of at bare minimum, right? Need six figures to survive in the world, but 250, 500, a million dollars. Just the quote unquote pleasure of having a business that makes 250, 500, a million dollars, 5 million dollars, whatever, because it's just this arbitrary goal that they have made and they will kill their work-life balance. What life to hustle in the not good way towards these goals that really don't mean anything, which is why I like to pair this number thing with this hour thing.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:Where I wanna make$250,000 a year, but I don't wanna work more than 25 hours a week. Okay. Love that. That gives a really great.
Corey Winter:That's pretty baller.
Emily Thompson:Yeah, right. But it gives a really great context for what kind of business you need to build and what kind of hustle it's gonna take to get there. It's also totally doable. There's a boss in the C-Suite who works about 20, 25 hours a week and has a business that makes over 500k a year.
Corey Winter:Bravo.
Emily Thompson:Right? Totally doable. Totally doable. Um, and she has built her business in a way that allows her to just do that. So knowing your numbers in both money terms and hours terms is really important for helping you figure out what your real version of hustle needs to look. Growing your business can get complicated, but the tech you use shouldn't. That's why HubSpot's CRM platform is easy to learn, use and love. Hear it from a real boss using HubSpot to grow their business better in 2023 and get a special offer of 20% off on eligible plans at hubspot.com/beingboss.
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Emily Thompson:We just talked some like really big picture stuff, right? Um, a year is pretty big picture. I think you could even be thinking, you know, if you're beginning of your business and you wanna have a five year plan for making your, you know, 250, 1 hundred I don't know, 20 hours a week, whatever that looks like for you, then love that. But you also are somewhere on your journey right this second. There's, there's big picture, and then you have to get really microscopic.
Corey Winter:Yeah.
Emily Thompson:Of, you know, what's happening in your family life, what is happening like to you physically and health wise, what is happening. I don't know otherwise.
Corey Winter:What's happening in the world?
Emily Thompson:I'm running outta examples. What's happening? That's a little, that's a little macro. Micro. Macro. I wanna go micro, right? What's happening very personally to you? That puts you.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:Wherever you are on your journey. So maybe you do have a really big goal this year, but early in the year, you're gonna be moving across the country. Right? On, in your journey, you are in a place where you about to go on a journey, right? So even if you have this 1, 2, 5 year plan, looking at really where it is that you are right here, right now, and for the coming weeks and months to maneuver around what your life actually looks like is really important, which is why I like to go into my marketing revenue exercise with first defining work and life. When are those things happening in work and life that I need to just like create a season of doing a lot of work, of chilling out and doing a lot of life, of maybe not chilling out, but doing a lot of life, right? Like you're moving or going on some crazy vacation. I always say there's few hustles like a Disney World hustle.
Corey Winter:True.
Emily Thompson:Right? Like that is you're gonna need to rest when you get home. You just walked 18 miles a day and ate nothing but rice Crispy treats shaped like Mickey Mouse and some slushies from a cart.
Corey Winter:Do they have rice crispy treats shaped like Mickey Mouse?
Emily Thompson:Yeah. I said that because I pictured one in my head that I've eaten before
Corey Winter:I did not know that.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Virtually
Corey Winter:I missed out.
Emily Thompson:Everything is shaped like Mickey Mouse.
Corey Winter:That's true. That is true.
Emily Thompson:Literally everything. So, Defining, uh, your minuscule season of hustle and rest.
Corey Winter:Minuscule?
Emily Thompson:Maybe that's that is a little too tiny, isn't it?
Corey Winter:Yeah.
Emily Thompson:Okay.
Corey Winter:All condescending, but, okay.
Emily Thompson:Let's paint this a little better. So usually a, a season of work or rest for me, I think I probably do work in about four week cycles. Right. And sometimes I'll, they'll pile up. Maybe I'll have two, four week cycles that are hustle or rest or something. Uh, rarely will I go 12 weeks. I don't think, um, where I'm really one or the other. But.
Corey Winter:Well, I will say I think that whole 12 week thing did happen to you once, and that's what caused burnout, so.
Emily Thompson:Mm-hmm. Yeah. Right.
Corey Winter:Yeah, let's not do that.
Emily Thompson:Eight weeks. Yep. Eight weeks is about my, is about my limit. Um, but it's important to define those seasons of hustle and rest by understanding where you are on your journey. Uh, an example of how this can even affect things. I, I mean, we're recording this as we mentioned earlier, in mid-November, so that we can get ready for a season of, well, for everyone else's rest. For me, it's hustle because I have a retail store in the holiday season.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:and so, It's funny, we planned this like batching of of episodes for both of those things. Rest for the team, hustle for me. But then I got this ankle injury that I have mentioned before, which has me redefining in a lot of ways what this season of hustle looks like for me. Because where I'm at at my journey right now is sitting in a chair. Just sitting in a chair and so really understanding where you are, where you personally are in this moment is incredibly important. It's a really important aspect of planning these seasons of work and life.
Corey Winter:Okay, so you have defined what makes you unique, but now how do you understand what success looks like for you?
Emily Thompson:Mm-hmm.
Corey Winter:Because that's the whole thing, right? That's what we're leading up to.
Emily Thompson:Mm-hmm. It is what we're leading up to. It's funny, I didn't, I really was not planning on talking about all of this, you guys, but What? This is, this is also the context of the group coaching that
Corey Winter:Okay.
Emily Thompson:We launched last year, uh, I say last year in context of January this year in context. Of November when we were recording this, uh, timey, windy . Am I right?? Yeah. So we launched our. Boss owned business group coaching, and the thing that we are taking bosses through is really understanding what success looks like for them. And it's a process of looking at values, both personal and business, looking at, you know, the boundaries that they need to feel creative and fulfilled and have the time that they need to do both work and life things, et cetera. So there's lots of little pieces, but I do wanna hit on just a couple of them here. One, I wanna reference another worksheet, so we'll have this in the show notes as well. It is called Define Your Ideal Day, or Your Ideal Day Worksheet, or Some, something about your Ideal Day. I never know the names of things. Sorry, not sorry.
Corey Winter:You named them. All right.
Emily Thompson:Or is it dream Day?
Corey Winter:It's definitely an ideal day. That's all I have it labeled on the back end, so sure.
Emily Thompson:Okay, so there's a worksheet where we take you through a couple of exercises is what a couple of thought exercises and some write writing exercises to think about what your really dreamy day looks like. And just like we talked about earlier with looking back in the past and imagining or not imagining, but getting really clear on the aspects of those times that felt really great in pulling them into the future. Ideal day is a little bit of looking into the future in this like imaginary world where you are waking up, where you wanna be surrounded by who you wanna, whatever, who or what do you wanna be surrounded by? All of what are you getting up and doing all day? What kinds of conversations are you having? And then, Doing some work to pull that like future dreamy scenario back into your reality right now. That will give you a nice little insight look as to what elements make you feel successful.
So is it, is it waking up at 4:30 or is it waking up at 7:30?
Corey Winter: 7:30. Jesus.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
I love a good 8:30. Personally, I love my sleep. Y'all love it. Um, or is it just waking up after having a full nine hours of sleep? Cuz I don't care what time it is. As long as
Corey Winter:nine hours
Emily Thompson:as I've had nine I, yes. Okay. a hundred percent. Yes. Do you see my face when you questioned that. Like, absolutely, Corey. Okay. Nine full hours. Not a minute less.
Corey Winter:Okay.
Emily Thompson:So defining your ideal day can be a really great exercise for getting an inside peak as to those little elements that make you feel successful. I think another one is definitely knowing your numbers. Defining what that enough number is for you, because that enough number is success is like, is a metric, is a metric of not. It is not. It does not equal success, it equals one aspect of success.
Corey Winter:Okay.
Emily Thompson:Right. So knowing that number so that you can work towards something real as opposed to someone else's number or just this number that you made up for some arbitrary or like whatever reason, knowing your numbers is really important for understanding what success looks like for you, and that's money and those hours.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:another aspect about ours is to think about when it is that you're most creative and how do you. Hmm. I'm gonna say capitalize on that. Sorry, not sorry. Right. So if you are more creative in the morning, then how can you and you run a creative business where you wanna monetize that creativity, which is most of you guys listening? Then what does work look like for you so that you can really make the most of those times?
Corey Winter:I don't think it's really even creativity, it's just when does your brain function like.
Emily Thompson:Right. I think I get about three minutes in the afternoon,
Corey Winter:Touche. Touche.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Yeah. No, it's definitely not in the afternoon.
Things go real downhill after 11:00 AM I think, whatever, whatever.
Corey Winter:After you've been at work for what? An hour. Okay?
Emily Thompson:No, two. Two-ish. Okay. Two-ish, depending. So some people really wanna stick to a nine to five. I'm personally a little bit of a nine to five girl. Not gonna lie. I come in usually around nine. I leave usually around four or five o'clock. I don't work on the weekends. I love that for myself. Other people really thrive. Are you, are you a night worker?
Corey Winter:So here's the thing, I'm glad you ask.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:Because I have a whole complex around my schedule. I would love to work at night, but the reason I do actually work
from nine to five or 7:30 to five. Uh, it's because of my dog. He has a very set routine, cuz he wakes up at the butt crack of dawn.
Emily Thompson:Mm-hmm.
Corey Winter:and by the time five o'clock rolls around, he's ready to go for a walk. And if he does not get that routine, he is very adamant, uh, about wanting my attention. And he will not leave me alone until he gets what he wants. So my routine is set based on my dog's needs.
Emily Thompson:Other people may have children.
Corey Winter:Yep.
Emily Thompson:Or be taking care of a parent.
Corey Winter:Yep.
Emily Thompson:Or something like that.
Corey Winter:Yep.
Emily Thompson:Um, I think that's definitely a huge aspect of it, and that's also a scenario of understanding that the season that you're in, So, you know, for me, I have a kid who's in school, we're waking up early, my midday, so I'm usually a nine to five girl. But why am I saying girl like that.
Corey Winter:I don't know, I was wonder.
Emily Thompson:Nine to five girl.
Corey Winter:I was just gonna let you do it.
Emily Thompson:Yeah, I'll take whatever. That does not offend me, y'all. Um, so I'm a nine to five girl, except while my kid is in school.
I have to get her at like 3:30. And so I'm actually stopping work a little bit earlier, spending some time with her, and then I'll usually put in another hour or so in the evening which sort of has things jacked up. So I also recognize that I'm in a like three year season of that. And then I can get back to my like preferred work schedule since we have put her in school and we're not homeschooling anymore. You may have to recognize that in terms of the hours in particular, it may just be the season that you're in. Also, literally, the seasons. In winter, I work a lot because I'm not going outside. It's cold. In the summer. I don't wanna work at all because it's warm outside. Now I wanna be outside.
Corey Winter:Yes, some, I think it's the time zone change, not the time zone change, but like, Daylight savings, time change.
Emily Thompson:Mm-hmm.
Corey Winter:because now we're in the standard time and the sun goes down like three 30 for some stupid reason. I'm just like, when the sun goes down, my brain stops working. So my hours have shifted because of the season. Literally the season.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Yeah, it does. So recognize those sorts of things, but also just work when you want and don't think that, you know, if someone shames you for working a late night or wanting to work on Sunday, when you want to do those things, that is their expectations. Does not have to define your reality. You do what you wanna do.
Corey Winter:Shame them back.
Emily Thompson:No, Corey, we're not doing
Corey Winter:No, don't do that?
Emily Thompson:Shame cycles.
Corey Winter:Nope. Don't do that.
Emily Thompson:Shame spirals. We're not doing, I mean, you can if you want to, but do not recommend.
Corey Winter:Okay. Instead of shaming them, show them how boss you are for working late at night.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:Show the cool stuff you make.
Emily Thompson:I will say that I do, I don't do it very often, but when I do get the chance to work late at night, especially, well, I say I was in the shop, yes, last night until 11:00 PM resetting the store. I do that sometimes. No one's there, customers aren't in. I'll do those things, but I also love doing a late night computer sesh because, I'm gonna get so much stuff done because the rest of the world's not like operating in the same way anyway. I do love that.
Corey Winter:Yeah, so typically I do work Monday through Friday, even though I can set my own hours and I can work whenever I want. I do typically just Monday through Friday, eight to 5:00 PM but I actually did work on Sunday this past weekend because no one was around to bother me. No one was on Slack and I, it was just, it was freeing to not have to worry about having to put out fires and stuff. I could just work at my own pace.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:It was nice.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. And what I love about that, cuz you just sort of hit on it, it's important to remember those little things like being able to define your own hours. That is a characteristic of our success. Right. You know, we all start businesses so that we can define those things for ourselves. So even the ability to do that. Is our version of success. Just wanna point that out because same, I feel empowered, when I show up on a Sunday, or you know, late at night or whatever, I've made my hours, I'm showing up by myself to do what I want and getting some stuff done. Um, that does feel a little successful to me. Not gonna lie.
Corey Winter:Okay, so the audience can't see you, but you're saying all this and you're like, you're popping your shoulders, you got little pep fingers.
Emily Thompson:I'm sassing, is what I'm doing. Right. Cause I feel that anti hustle culture tells you that those things are not successful. That you should only be working your four hour work weeks on, you know, Tuesday at noon or whatever it may be. But I love being able to go in my store when it is completely empty and reset it with no one bothering me. I put everything exactly where I want it to go. Listening to music that I wanna listen to whatever it may be, or literally doing the same thing at my computer, more or less. And so that is an area where I'm like, no, there, that version of anti hustle culture does not define my version of success.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:sometimes I wanna work late. Because I find it freeing and invigorating, partially because no one's around to bug me and partially because I chose it for myself.
Corey Winter:Yeah.
Emily Thompson:Also sassed my head with that one as well. Okay. A couple other things or a couple other ways to define success. A couple of episodes ago, probably like six months ago, cuz same timey, wimy, we did an episode, or I did an episode, I think it was a solo one on some lists that you need to have as a human. Um, one of those was a bucket list, one of those was a want list. I think both of those are really incredible practices. For helping you define success. You can go back to that episode and listen to it if you're curious. I also take bosses through those two particular ones in our group coaching program. Corey, what episode was that?
Corey Winter:Episode number 320. Three must have lists to create the life you want.
Emily Thompson:Oh, there, that's a great title. Thanks, Corinne. that's wonderful. So yes, go listen to that one. I think those two lists are really important for helping you define your version of success. I'm gonna throw a fourth one in there because I don't even remember what the third one was. I will not lie. I don't remember. But there is another one that I've been thinking about a lot. Someone brought it up to me recently. I'm gonna make this for myself. I think this is incredibly important, especially when you're in a season of a lot of. And that is a list of things that bring you joy because I think it's really easy to get into a season of hustle and forget to eat or like call your mom or hang out with your friends, or for me, go for a hike and do my yoga, and those sorts of things. And so by having this really easy go-to list, you're never gonna be too tired to be like, I don't even know. Just gonna go to bed, just go look at your list. What's gonna bring you joy in this moment? Um, that's a list, a new list. I'm gonna add to the list of lists because I think it could be incredibly important.
Corey Winter:Puppies, Legos, food. That's my list. All right, right there. That's it.
Emily Thompson:Right? So as long as you are incorporating those things into your life, your version of success, right? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Um, one more for you is simply living within the parameters. Existing within the parameters of your priorities and boundaries.
Corey Winter:Hmm.
Emily Thompson:When people are, when you've created boundaries that people are respecting, you can operate within them without, you know, having to put out all the fires or deal with that person who's just like, you know,
emailing you at 10:00 PM wanting a phone call immediately, whatever it may be. That feels like success. You can't operate within those parameters unless you know what those are. So knowing where your boundaries are, knowing what your priorities are, um, really also living within context or within alignment with your values is incredibly important as well. It's a, that's obviously a huge part of what we do. beingboss.club/values, if you'd like. Just a taste of all the all the work we've done around values is really important. For defining your version of success. That's a lot of like big picture things. If anyone does want any help with that group coaching Bossed-Owned Business.
Corey Winter:Or just the community. Let's throw all those CTAs out there.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:Join the being boss community,
Emily Thompson:being boss in, we're always working on all this is really the context of what we do with people in general. So it is a big topic and all of these things are really important because when you are not aware, when you're not even aware of success looks like to you, and not that you haven't achieved it. Success is, you know, it is a journey. We're kind of getting it all the time and you know, we're gonna die at the end.
Corey Winter:Wow.
Emily Thompson:Regardless of what happens. Right. It's not this end goal at the end, you die. It is something you're supposed to be experiencing. All along the way, right?
Corey Winter:Unless the work that you're working on is how to create immortality.
Emily Thompson:Oh, yes, indeed.
Corey Winter:If that's the case.
Emily Thompson:That is the one asterisk.
Corey Winter:You better hustle. Figure it out.
Emily Thompson:Ooh, I don't think I wanna be around forever. I'm not gonna lie. This world is a shit show. I'm gonna do my time and I'm gonna tap out.
Corey Winter:Tap out.
Emily Thompson:Sorry guys. Took it there.
Corey Winter:Yes.
Emily Thompson:Okay. Yep. What I'm, what I'm trying to say here though is that when you are not aware of what success looks like for you, burnout is just a step away.
Corey Winter:Hmm.
Emily Thompson:When you are working, it's just right there. Um, it's all like, and I think in life it's where depression,
Corey Winter:yeah,
Emily Thompson:can really come into play. If you're not, if you don't know what success looks like and you're not actively trying to pull those little pieces from your past forward or from your pu future, from your future towards you. Then you are steps away from burnout because you're just going to keep spending time and energy on air quote goals that don't align with your values, that don't operate within your boundaries that don't bring you joy in any way, shape or form, or they're not helping you become the person that you want to be. Knowing these things and working towards them is incredibly important for, for finding fulfillment and for truly enjoying this crazy journey, that we've all chosen to take by becoming entrepreneurs and business owners. And then I think the sort of last tip that I wanna leave everybody with as, as you're thinking about all these things, what brings you joy? what your values are, what your ideal day looks like, how you can be working this year towards your version of success. Whatever that looks like. Remember that the hours spent does not equal greater output. Like more hours in your work does not mean more money in your bank. For most of you.
Corey Winter:Yeah,
Emily Thompson:for some of you. Most, hopefully most to some extent. Sure
Corey Winter:there is some variation there, but it's fine,
Emily Thompson:there is some variations, right? And know that rest is an investment in yourself and as a business owner. In turn, it is an investment in your business, plain and simple. So work towards it with those things in mind. And always work smarter, not harder.
Corey Winter:So I have one last question for you.
Emily Thompson:Yep.
Corey Winter:What are you going to work on today? You specifically Emily? Oh, shit. Come on. What are you gonna work on today to work towards your version of success?
Emily Thompson:Oh, I use what I wanna. Curse you right now.
Corey Winter:Oh, we cut that. That's fine.
Emily Thompson:I had actually, I think I did do it. You don't have to cut that one out. Let them all know that I did do it. Shit, Corey. Um, let me think about it. What am I going to do today? You know? I talked about being a nine to five girl. That's, that's a thing, now.
Corey Winter:Corinne, if you're, if you're listening, which I know you are, uh, make sure to add that to the list of bumper stickers we need to create.
Emily Thompson:Yeah. Nine to five girl. Yeah. I feel like it needs to have one of those, like sexy silhouettes, I just envision it in my head. You know, the ones that are on, like the, the, the 18 wheeler flaps.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm. Oh gosh.
Emily Thompson:It needs to be that one. It needs to be that one. Yeah. Yeah. But I, the season that I'm currently in is, we are gearing up. This weekend is our first big holiday weekend in the store. Next weekend is Black Friday. Then we're between Thanksgiving and Christmas and all hell's gonna break loose in the most glorious, crystal filled way. Very excited about it. So I have broken my boundary of nine to five and not working weekends for this season.
Corey Winter:Mm-hmm.
Emily Thompson:of hustle, where this afternoon I have some, I'm doing a recording, another recording, um, this afternoon, and I quit for the day. For the rest of the day, I'm quitting early and that's going to be more or less my schedule most days. Over the next couple of weeks where, you know, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays days that are usually generally light for me are not really gonna be workdays because I am working a little more on the weekends. I need to make myself super, super available if something happens. So this afternoon I am adjusting my boundaries and I am unapologetically
gonna quit working at about 1:00 PM and going to go home and paint some mushrooms, some little wooden mushrooms with my kid,
Corey Winter:okay,
Emily Thompson:and make some dinner and hang out. And it's a Tuesday. A Tuesday that any other time I would be working nine to five like I always do. But I'm adjusting my schedule and taking some time and making time now to rest as both an investment in myself. But also an investment in my business because they go need me lighter. And that's not a huge one. But that's, that's my today. That's my today is I'm gonna quit working early and that y'all is not easy for me to do when I get in and get going. I'm just gonna keep going.
Corey Winter:Yeah.
Emily Thompson:Um, but I'm pulling the plug and I have been doing that a little bit. I will be doing that much more over the coming weeks because that is the season that I am in. What about you, Corey? I'm gonna turn around on you.
Corey Winter:Oh crap. I knew you were gonna do that too. Um. Well, I'm actually front loading all of my hours this week so I can have another long weekend because I actually had a three day weekend a couple weeks ago, and I was like, Ooh, ooh, that was nice. Uh, so I'm doing that again this week. Uh, and that actually ties into Thanksgiving and Christmas, which I'm taking extended periods of time off.
Emily Thompson:Yeah.
Corey Winter:So, yeah, I'm, I'm heading towards my season of of rest.
Emily Thompson:Yes. I love that. For you. I'm gonna fall off the Christmas cliff into my season of rest. I'm very excited about it.. We'll get there. I'll join you one day. I'll join you.
Corey Winter:Okay,
Emily Thompson:perfect. Well, thanks Corey. This one is a fun one and I do encourage everyone listening to. Work in a way that feels good to you to define what work looks like for yourself so that you can show up and accomplish the things you must want to accomplish.
Corey Winter:And if you're struggling to find a starting point, go find those worksheets in our show notes beingboss.club
Emily Thompson:High five. All right, boss, because you're here, I know you want to be a better creative business owner, which means I've got something for you. Each week, the team at Being Boss is scouring the news, the best entrepreneurial publications and updates and releases of the apps and tools that run our businesses, and is curating it all into a weekly email that delivers the must know tips and tactics in the realms of mindset, money, and productivity. This email is called Brewed. We brew it up for you each week to give you the insight you need to make decisions and move forward in your creative. Check it out now and sign up for yourself beingboss.club/brewed. That's beingboss.club/brewed now until next time, do the work. Be boss.