Why Everything You Know About Balance Is A Lie

Balance. Is that the white picket fence, a house in the suburbs, or BBQ on Saturday after Little League?

Is it the 9-5, 8 hours of work, 8 hours of personal time, and 8 hours of sleep? Or is it starting your own business, and being in charge of your schedule?

The reality is that it could be any of those, or none of those. Balance is not applied equally, it is a formula that allows you to spend time doing what you love.

Looking at this through an essentialist lens, balance is giving priority to the things that matter most. For me, that’s 4 areas of life. My faith, family, fitness, and finances. It’s running a business that I love, even if it demands most of my time, it’s spending time with a few loved ones.

But it’s the sacrifice of a large social life, the sacrifice of many past friends, the sacrifice of not playing video games, or watching TV.

It’s the sacrifice of waking up at 5 in the morning to get more done. It’s the price I pay for the life I live. And I would pay it every single day because I love what I get to do.

I may not be where I want to be, but I love the journey to get there, balance isn’t about doing everything equally, but giving priority to what matters most, and that’s exactly what I do.

Here are the 4 actionable steps for you to optimize “balance”

1. What are your top 4 priorities?

Sit down and take out a notebook, or a piece of paper. What are the 4 most important things you can get done today? If you could only accomplish four actions, what would those be, and what goal would you be working towards?

2. If you could do whatever you wanted, what would a typical day look like?

If you didn’t have to worry about money, location, or your time, what would you find meaningful to do? This isn’t about laying on a beach sipping margaritas, don’t look for happiness, look for meaning, and see what you are called to do.

3. Reframe balance into prioritization

You can do anything, but you can’t do everything. By choosing one thing, we are inherently sacrificing another, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Balance is prioritizing the things that matter the most to you, and dedicating more time to those things.

4. Be an architect of the life you want.

Either you are someone who things happen to or someone who makes things happen. If you want your life to change, to continuously improve, you are the architect of a better future, a brighter future, so make sure the thoughts and actions you have to create the life you want.