The 8 Saboteurs Of Mighty Things: #4 Balance

The prevalent myth of work-life balance is robbing you from the bold results you wish to see in your life. Chasing that fictional balance keeps you locked in an impossible paradigm.

Work-life balance is an illusion. It is a belief that robs you from all the joy intimacy could give you and the fulfillment you could find from work. It implies you have to make sacrifices, that you need to choose between work and your life. What does that mean? Does it mean your life is separate or different from your work? Shouldn’t your work be an integral part of your life, too?

This metaphor juxtaposes work to life. It assumes they are opposites. What does it imply? Is work dead? Are the activities you do outside of the office not considered work?

The element I disagree with the most is balance. It implies that we are weighing work and life. It implies these two elements are heavy. We take a mythical scale and measure the burden of each of them. Wow! Work and life are burdens! I definitely disagree. Seeing life or work as a burden will make it so. They will become synonymous with anxiety, difficulty, and hardship.

Semantics are not just superficial. Words have power. Words become a reality. Look around. How many people have back problems? There is a huge industry to treat stress-related back problems. People go through life like they are carrying a heavy load. They are carrying the weight of their jobs and their lives on their shoulders and backs.

We need to change the conversation to alter our reality.

When we are working toward a goal that makes us jump out of bed in the morning, we are full of energy. It wakes us up. It livens us. It uplifts us. That goal is important to us. Working toward a project that will help others gives us life. It is life, not work.

When you have a vision filled with multiple exciting goals, you will be full of energy. You will be uplifted. You will walk tall. Looking at the big picture will eliminate two words from your vocabulary: work and balance. All activities you engage in will contribute toward becoming the best version of yourself. There won’t be sacrifices.

Let’s set that up now

As we mentioned in the first article of this series, focus is the key to getting things done. For this reason, you will need to make choices, and we all know there are infinite possibilities. Now choose just three goals. They must be in different areas. Consider what you would like to see in,

• Health: more energy, ideal weight, good digestion, increased strength, more flexibility

• Spirituality: deeper connection with or total trust in the divine

• Finances: maintaining a certain amount in your bank account, increasing your monthly income

• Contribution: improving the environment, accelerating the circular economy, accelerating solar energy, searching for the cure to an illness, raising happy, empowered, and healthy children

• Personal Growth: forgive, heal childhood trauma, learn a language

• Intimacy: build a vibrant and empowering intimate relationship, create a network of inspiring friends

Choose just three. Why? You can only see three sides of a cube a time. This focus will provide clarity, and clarity is power.

Visualize it

See your image of success. Picture how your life will be when you have accomplished these three goals. Experience it will all your senses. Feel the warmth of the hug of your child. Hear the voices of your customers satisfied with your services. Smell the delicious food that will nourish your body.

As you do this visualization in the early morning, you’ll be able to identify the actions you’ll need to take that day in order to make it happen: make that phone call, bake that cake, go running, etc.

Suddenly 100 percent of the activities you are engaging in will be essential to your life vision. Caring for your kids will not compete with fitness. Writing your book will not compete with calling your mom. When you do each of the activities, you’ll be present, just as you’ll appreciate the impact they have on your life vision.

As you take one tiny action, working toward each of your goals, your goals will become a reality right before your eyes. There won’t be a struggle. Everything you do will complement and inspire the other.

Do this every quarter. You are constantly changing and growing. Honor these changes. When you reach one goal, choose another. This will allow you to be inspired and challenged in an integral way.

Having a holistic view of your life and your goals will free you from the tyranny of the mythical work life balance and will open the door to mighty things.

If I was able to inspire you to implement change in your life, I’m delighted. That is my goal. However, if you would like to receive additional support in freeing yourself from the heaviness and catch-22 of constant sacrifice, I have exactly what you need: “A Better ME” Program. This is a transformational experience that will allow you to finally change your mindset and your habits so that you can accomplish what you want. If you are ready to see awesome results, this program is for you. Check it out here.