Work life fallacy

If work-life balance is on your mind, then you’re in the wrong field.

I know this from first-hand experience.

Before I got into sales, I was in consulting staring at excels and completing VLOOKUP’s and visiting clients. I thought I was overworked and yearned for more work-life balance. Instead, I should’ve focused on improving the quality of my life.

The reality is I hated my job.

On a drunk night out (The number 8 bus from Cheapside to Shoreditch was a regular activity in those days) I stumbled across someone who was working at a start-up, in sales. 

He suggested I take what I had learned consulting and apply it to selling 

so I tried my hand at startup sales.

5 years into my sales career, my workload has never been greater, and I’ve never been happier.

I’m under constant pressure:

• My Leadership teams expect me to deliver aggressive numbers.
• My line reports pull me into negotiations for competitive deals.
• Candidates tell me to match their competing offers or they’ll walk.
• I’m responsible for the development of my line reports and their careers

There are no standard working hours. I have a target hanging over my head and I do what it takes to hit it.

Despite all this pressure and demand for my time, I couldn’t ask for a better gig. I feel energised and never contemplate the idea of work-life balance even when I have to jump on an 8 am call with a candidate. 

Sales improved all aspects of my life.

I’ve become a better investor because I spend a lot of my time researching companies. This has allowed me to learn about the latest technology trends and have intriguing conversations with some of the world’s fastest-growing businesses.

I’ve become healthier. The constant pressure to deliver on lofty targets is a blessing in disguise. It’s forced me to learn how to better deal with stress. The best way of doing so is by prioritising physical & mental fitness. I got into running because of sales.

I’ve strengthened my relationships. My job is all about listening to people, understanding their motivations, and helping them achieve their goals. This is the most valuable skill for building everlasting friendships.

The notion of striking a “work-life balance” is limiting because it focuses on quantity instead of quality.

A better approach would be to focus on improving your overall quality of life.

The best way to do this is to find a craft you can:

1. Dedicate yourself to something you can become great at through consistent practice.
2. Earn a living from.

For me, it was startup sales, and I didn’t discover it until my mid-twenties.

So, if you’re feeling overworked and the first thought that pops into your mind is achieving a better work-life balance, ask yourself this:

Are you working on a craft that fulfils you both intellectually and financially?

If not, you should do everything in your power to answer with a resounding “yes”.

As Confucius says “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”