What if the reason you do not have greater work-life balance is because you are (secretly) more fulfilled with your work than you are with your family or friends?
Before yelling “blasphemy!” consider:
- The feeling of being in control is a primary ingredient for feeling secure.
- Achievement creates a sense of self-worth.
- Building something or delivering value provides a person with purpose.
Worth asking: How often do you feel as though you are in control, achieving something or operating on purpose while at home?
“Hardly ever,” a business leader answered, while we were equipping his team to operate with greater consciousness. “In fact,” he said, “My home life provides the complete opposite experience: I have no control and nothing productive gets done.”
The story of “I have to work this much” may be the disguise of one playing the role of victim who is shirking the responsibility of creating meaningful experiences outside of work.
Being honest with yourself is required to effectively lead yourself – especially when it matters most.
