with them on vacation making up for lost time. You know how it is,
right? Now that I have the money and the time, I’m getting those
years back.”
Do you really think you can ever get back a child’s bedtime story
or birthday? Is a party for a five-year-old with imaginary pals the
same as dinner with a teenager with high-school friends? Is an adult
attending a young child’s soccer game on par with attending a soccer
game with an adult child? Do you think you can cut a deal with God
that time stands still for you, holding off on anything important until
you’re ready to participate again?
When you gamble with your time, you may be placing a bet you
can’t cover. Even if you’re sure you can win, be careful that you can
live with what you lose.
Toying with time will lead you down a rabbit hole with no way
out. Believing this lie does its harm by convincing you to do things
you shouldn’t and stop doing things you should. Middle
mismanagement can be one of the most destructive things you ever
do. You can’t ignore the inevitability of time.
So if achieving balance is a lie, then what do you do?
Counterbalance.
Replace the word “balance” with “counterbalance” and what you
experience makes sense. The things we presume to have balance are
really just counterbalancing. The ballerina is a classic example. When
the ballerina poses en pointe, she can appear weightless, floating on
air, the very idea of balance and grace. A closer look would reveal her
toe shoes vibrating rapidly, making minute adjustments for balance.
Counterbalancing done well gives the illusion of balance.
COUNTERBALANCING—THE LONG AND SHORT
OF IT
When we say we’re out of balance, we’re usually referring to a sense
that some priorities—things that matter to us—are being underserved