The greatest myth.
Or a minute of elusive balance
Who doesn’t dream of a balanced, harmonious life?
Definitely not me.
It sounds so perfect.
Harmony.
Family.
Happy, healthy, caring, attentive, joyful.
Shared discoveries, events, experiences.
Work.
Without sucking the life out of you.
Pure enjoyment.
A sense of fulfillment, purpose.
A stable income. High!
You need a lot for balance.
Legacy and life's purpose.
Smart (and not) movies.
Exploration.
Free time.
Hobbies.
Friends.
Health.
Sports.
Travel.
Music.
Books.
Sleep.
Sex.
And this is not even the best part.
The juggler.
Juggling heavy clubs.
High up on a tightrope.
Add:
- Rain
- Siberian frost
- A burning rope
- Hurricane winds
- Wild saber-toothed tigers
It’s not always fun for everyone.
Is taking out the trash part of the balance or not?
What about the window the kids broke (luckily, they didn’t get hurt)?
Life is full of pleasant and unpleasant surprises.
Anything can happen at any moment.
Maybe the rich and famous have found balance?
One becomes a monk, another grinds 16 hours a day, and another seems to have lost their mind completely.
How about the trust-fund babies?
Not a chance.
Everyone’s chasing this fully balanced life.
And me, of course. Why would I be any different?
But.
There is no such thing as balance.
It’s a myth.
Balance is a process, not a state.
It’s a constant dance:
- This is on fire.
- That’s broken.
- Something fell off.
- Over here, it’s dried up.
And when you understand and accept that,
You discover the main secret.
Spend time with family, but don’t lose your mind when you need to push hard at work...
And vice versa.
Just live.
Live your life.
Solve problems.
Help when you can.
Love when you feel it.
Be happy when there’s a reason.
It’s constant motion.
That’s. Just. How. It. Is.
If you want to know more about other mess-ups and lessons on my entrepreneurial journey — subscribe to Eugene’s Stories.
See you soon!
- Eugene
Every founder has their own way of getting through hard days.
Her journal reminds me (and maybe you) that it’s okay to struggle — and still move forward.
- Eugene
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Hi, I’m Eugene.
Over the past 20+ years, I’ve grown an international agency from one-person freelance to a multimillion-dollar business. I’ve led teams, scaled systems, burned out, rebuilt, and learned (the hard way) what it really takes to run a business that doesn’t consume your life.
I help them make sense of complexity, design simple systems, and create the kind of business they actually want to run.
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Burnout, Downshifting, or Downsizing? What to Choose — and What Systems Have to Do with It
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