Finding Balance

How do you find time to do all of the things that you do? I’m talking about being around for your family, being a good husband, going to work, finding time for your hobbies and advancing yourself professionally? It’s definitely a tall order.

For a long time, I struggled with finding balance between my work and my personal life. I read a book called The Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris, and I also got a lot out of Cameron Herold’s painted picture philosophy, which basically requires you to “reverse engineer” your goals by first visualizing the end result, and then working backwards towards to achieve that goal.

But what really helped me the most in finding the right balance in my life was training. From first starting out to training for a sprint, an Olympic, two half Iron Man competitions, the Boston Marathon, and now Iron Man Lake Placid, I’ve learned how the discipline of training can help you prioritize your life, and eventually help you achieve a work/life balance that works for you.

The most important thing here is determining what’s important to you. No one can figure that out for you. So, take some time to consider your own personal “painted picture.” Where do you see yourself two or five years out? Then figure out what you need to do to get there.

Here’s an exercise to help you put it all in perspective: come up with a list of “non-negotiables.” These are the things that you are completely committed to in your life right now. I’d cap that list out at four or five items, but that’s really up to you and what your “personal bandwidth” is for commitment. Then come up with a list of priorities related to those non-negotiable commitments. By structuring your priorities within your commitments, you’ll get a clearer sense of what you have to do to make your dreams a reality and feel in control of your destiny.