We don’t always want to talk about mental health, especially not on site or around the smoko table. But this one’s worth sticking with. Because sometimes, the biggest strength isn’t pushing through. It’s knowing when to pause.

Aaron Morris, Group Sales Manager at Stoddart, has been in the building game for over 30 years. He’s seen the highs, the hustle, and the health scares, and he’s not afraid to talk about them. In fact, that’s part of what makes him a good builder.

Aaron recently joined Pete and I, appearing on The Good Builder podcast to share a bit more of his story and perspective. Early in the year, we covered Aaron’s health scar; you can read about it here.

A quick recap?

Aaron’s built a career around relationships, loyalty, and straight talk. But a phone call from a family member turned everything on its head. It wasn’t a work issue it was a health scare. His relative, younger than him, needed heart surgery.

“That was the kick up the arse I needed,” Aaron said.

“I’d always put work first, family second, health last.”

He got tested. The results weren’t great. His blood pressure was high. There were family risks. And the shoulder and back pain he’d brushed off as “just getting old”? A red flag. Weeks later, he was in hospital getting stents put in.

Why it matters

Like many in the industry, Aaron had fallen into the trap of always being “on”. Late night emails. Weekend calls. The phone never stopped. He told his team to prioritise family, but wasn’t doing it himself.

“All it did was spiral me into a place where you know where to go,” he admitted. “And that’s how you get out of that?”

He got help. He read The Resilience Project. He opened up. He started walking twice a day with his wife. Small shifts. Big change.

“Last July, we made the decision, hey, let’s get off the grog. Let’s try and get a bit healthy.”

“I can’t describe the different feeling,” Aaron said. “I come inside and my wife would say, ‘You’re grey. You feeling alright?’ Now, I can walk with a bit of pace. Bit of vigour. It will change your life.”

What do we know?

The building industry is full of pressure. Deadlines. Compliance changes. Cost blowouts. Add in long hours and tight margins, and it’s a recipe for burnout.

Aaron’s not the only one who’s felt it.

“Construction is constant deadlines,” he said. “You’re trying to manage cash flow. Provide for your family. And when the numbers don’t stack up, the pressure hits home. You get short with people. You start to blow up. It affects everything.”

Sound familiar?

Aaron’s message is clear: it’s not weak to speak.

It’s time we normalised these chats.

“There’s been a stigma, for sure,” he said. “But I had my own mental health issues. I got external help. I leaned on mentors. I read that book The Resilience Project. It was a game changer.”

He’s big on gratitude now. On listening. On knowing what you can control and letting go of what you can’t.

“If you turn your phone off on a Friday and don’t turn it back on ‘til Monday, the world keeps turning,” he said.

What should you watch for?

Aaron reckons it’s about being prepared before things go sideways.

“You’ve got to have tools ready before you get there,” he said.

“Write down three things you’re grateful for every day. Talk to someone. Get the book. Find a mentor.”

He also reckons we need to drop the ego, especially in an industry where toughness is still worn like a badge.

“Some things you can fix. Some things you can’t,” Aaron said. “But don’t carry it alone.”

The takeaway, if there is just one?

Unfortunately, there’s no silver bullet here, but there is a question worth asking,

“What’s one small shift you could make this week for your health, your head, or your family?”

Listen to Aaron’s full interview on The Good Builder Podcast here.

Author: Aaron Ng

Aaron has worked for some of the nation’s largest developers and home builders in the marketing arena, before founding one of QLD’s largest construction focused marketing agencies. He is passionate about all elements of marketing and customer experience across the industry.