Balance not perfection
Balance, not perfection
When we decided to start Beyond The Hustle, it wasn’t because we needed another project to add to the pile or because the world needed another podcast. It was because we wanted to create a space for real kōrero. The kind of kōrero that feels raw and honest.
The kind that digs into the things we often keep private because they’re messy, uncomfortable, or hard to say out loud.
It’s too easy to just share the good stuff. I’ve done it plenty of times myself. I’ve shared the wins, the proud moments, the things that make me look like I’ve got it all figured out.
And honestly, for a long time, I thought that’s all people wanted to see. Maybe they do, I don’t know – but it feels disingenuous.
The truth is, it’s not the full story – and I’m trying to be better, to be more honest, and more human. Because reality isn’t just a highlight reel.
Te kauhanganuitanga / balance – is at the heart of everything in the world, and when it’s missing, we feel it, don’t we?
When the environment is out of balance, we get major storms and floods. When our hormones are out of balance, we feel sluggish, irritable, and out of sorts. When our lives are out of balance, we get sick, we burn out, and things become way harder!
The same is true of the stories we share. So much of what we see online is just the good stuff – the wins, the filtered smiles, the perfectly curated moments. But where’s the balance in that? Where’s the truth?
And we wonder why we are becoming more and more lonely and disconnected. I mean, if all you see on your phone is everyone else’s perfect world, and you’re sitting there reflecting on your own messy, imperfect, slightly chaotic, and not-always-pretty life, would you go outside and show everyone? It’s hard, right?
I’ve been guilty of this too, and it’s something I’m working on. Because I’ve realised that when I only share the good bits, I’m not just hiding parts of myself, but I’m also contributing to a false sense of reality. And I don’t think it’s what we need right now.
That’s where our podcast – Beyond The Hustle – comes in. This podcast is our way of restoring a little balance to our own story. It’s a space to talk about the things that matter – whānau, hauora, leadership, ideas, relationships, te reo Māori, business, and everything in between.
But also the things we don’t always say out loud. The struggles, the failures, the self-doubt, and the messy bits we usually keep to ourselves. It’s a chance to pull back the curtain and say, “This is us. The unpolished and imperfect version.”
We’ll kōrero about what it means to be a good person. We’ll talk about what balance really looks like – not perfection, but a messy, imperfect dance between ambition and aroha, work and whānau, pride and humility.
I hope this podcast will resonate with those who tune in. I hope it sparks conversations, challenges perspectives, and reminds us all that the struggles are just as important as the wins. Because that’s where the growth happens, and that’s where the human stuff really lives.
If you want to tune in, we’ve released the first three episodes. So far, it’s just me and Jess having a kōrero – because we couldn’t convince anyone to come on the podcast 😂
Ep 01 is an intro to the kaupapa.
Ep 02 is Jess reflecting on her journey learning te reo Māori as a wahine Pākehā.
Ep 03 is the two of us reflecting on our rollercoaster journey in business, including how we dug ourselves in and out of a $961,000 hole.
Next week, I interview my pāpā, which I’m looking forward to sharing with you all.
You can watch on YouTube here, or you can listen on Spotify or wherever you consume your podcast content usually.
Anyway – it’s a long one today. Thanks for hanging in there.
Ngā mihi,
Anton