Step 2: Listen to yourself when you answer the question, “What do I want here?”
Believe it or not sometimes this is the hardest step because we don’t necessarily know what we do want, but we’re often sure of what we don’t want. If you find yourself in that frame of mind here at Step 2, then go back to Step 1 and keep going back to it until you are able to focus on what you do want.

Step 3: Design a plan to get from where you are to where you want to be.
Ask yourself, “What set of activities—if I am disciplined about doing them—is best calculated to lead to the result that I want?” That’s your plan.

And, a plan executed with discipline, becomes a Practice.

One last thing: If and when you fail to keep a Practice up, forgive yourself immediately and get right back on the Practices wagon. There’s neither time nor energy to be expended on excuses or guilt.

Practice your Practices and be prepared to be surprised—remember, Practices make perfect . . . and then some!

Being a Life Balance expert certainly has its drawbacks!

For one thing, everyone expects you to have your life completely in order—and I don’t necessarily think that that’s an unreasonable expectation. I mean, have you ever been introduced to a professional “personal trainer” at the gym and instantly wondered why he hasn’t done something about that beer belly he’s sporting? How about the sales trainer who can’t seem to sell his sales training programs? (And I’m sorry, only in certain situations does the age-old adage “those who can’t do, teach” apply, such as in the case of the septuagenarian ballet instructor!)

Nevertheless, that expectation makes it particularly hard when my life doesn’t feel the way I want it to, which does happen with some regularity, albeit less and less frequently. I have this feeling the whole world is watching me and, worse, judging me.

Interestingly, though, I think the worst part of being a Life Balance expert is what happens when I actually am reflecting the positive results of focused intention and attention to Life Balance: some people seem positively uncomfortable around me! Indeed, as counterintuitive as this might sound, I’m convinced that in a few situations the fact that I seem to have handled Life Balance more than most has actually resulted in my not getting an engagement to help others learn about and achieve Life Balance for themselves.

What gives?

While it has never been my intention to put on airs, I certainly can see how those who aren’t feeling good about their lack of Life Balance might be less than delighted hearing me talk about what I’ve achieved and how I’ve gone about achieving it. And sometimes the last thing they want to hear is that they can do it, too—that all it takes is intention and attention. But, in truth, that’s all I have to offer: that a semblance of Life Balance is achievable and, then, the nitty-gritty of how to go about making it happen.