Why Work-Life Balance is a Myth (And What Successful Leaders Do Instead)
Lessons from my conversation with six-time CEO and bestselling author Brendan P. Keegan
If you've ever felt guilty for not having the perfect work-life balance, you're not alone.
It's one of the most common pieces of advice you'll hear today. Every article, podcast, and LinkedIn post seems to encourage us to "find balance." We picture someone who somehow manages to dominate at work, spend endless time with family, exercise every day, volunteer in the community, pursue hobbies, and still get eight hours of sleep.
The problem?
I don't think that person exists.
That realization became even clearer after my recent conversation with Brendan P. Keegan, a six-time CEO, bestselling author, investor, speaker, and business leader who has spent decades building companies while also prioritizing family, mentorship, and personal growth. Brendan's newest book, Unbalanced on Purpose, challenges one of the biggest misconceptions about success: that every area of life deserves equal attention every single day. Instead, he argues that great leaders learn to become intentionally unbalanced depending on the season they're in.
The more we talked, the more I realized this wasn't just a conversation about leadership or business.
It was a conversation about living with purpose.
Stop Chasing Perfect Balance
One of the first things I asked Brendan was a question I've wondered about for years.
How do you manage everything?
When you look at his résumé, it's easy to wonder how one person can do it all. He's led multiple companies as CEO, serves on numerous corporate boards, has written bestselling books, invests in businesses, speaks around the country, and still makes time for family and mentoring the next generation of leaders.
His answer surprised me.
Rather than talking about schedules or productivity hacks, Brendan explained that balance isn't about giving every part of your life equal time. It's about understanding the season you're in and intentionally deciding where your attention belongs.
Early in his career, work demanded almost everything he had. Later, as he became a husband and father, family naturally required more of his time. The point wasn't to perfectly divide every hour. The point was to consciously choose what mattered most in that season of life.
Honestly, I think that's a much healthier way to think about success.
Too many people compare their lives to someone else's without realizing they're living completely different seasons.
The Six Areas That Deserve Your Attention
One of the concepts Brendan shared that really stuck with me was what he calls the Six Circles of Connection:
Self
Faith
Family
Friends
Community
Professional Life
The goal isn't to keep each circle perfectly balanced every day.
The goal is to remain aware of all six while intentionally shifting your focus as life changes. Some seasons demand more from your career. Others require more attention at home. There will be moments when your health becomes the priority or when serving your community takes center stage.
Success isn't about ignoring one area forever.
It's about recognizing when one area needs you more than another and making that decision consciously instead of accidentally.
I think that's a perspective many of us need to hear.
Systems Beat Motivation Every Time
Another lesson that resonated with me had nothing to do with talent.
It had everything to do with systems.
Brendan described himself as someone who naturally builds systems because they create efficiency. Whether he's leading a company, writing a book, or simply starting his morning, he relies on repeatable routines rather than hoping motivation will show up every day.
That reminded me of James Clear's Atomic Habits, a book Brendan also recommends to young professionals. Small, consistent habits often outperform occasional bursts of motivation because they remove unnecessary decisions and make progress automatic.
It's a simple idea, but it's incredibly powerful.
Most successful people don't wake up inspired every morning.
They've simply built systems that make success more likely.
Nobody Succeeds Alone
One of my favorite moments from our conversation came when Brendan talked about mentorship.
He credits six mentors with changing the trajectory of his career and openly admits they believed in him before he fully believed in himself. Those relationships didn't happen through formal mentoring programs. They developed naturally through trust, shared experiences, and genuine investment.
I couldn't help but think about my own career while we talked.
When I look back at the biggest opportunities I've had in recruiting and with Books4Guys, very few came from sending cold emails.
Most started with relationships.
A conversation at the gym.
A round of golf.
An introduction from someone willing to open a door.
The older I get, the more convinced I become that relationships are one of the greatest investments we can make.
Networking Is More Human Than Digital
One point Brendan made really challenged me.
He believes too many people confuse networking with collecting LinkedIn connections.
LinkedIn is an incredible tool—I use it almost every day—but Brendan reminded me that real networking still happens face-to-face. It happens over coffee, during conferences, at the gym, on the golf course, or through simple conversations that gradually become meaningful friendships.
That really resonated because I've experienced it firsthand.
A few years ago, I looked at where the majority of my recruiting business had come from.
To my surprise, many of my biggest clients weren't the result of elaborate sales strategies. They came from genuine friendships that started while working out together, playing golf, or simply spending time around people with similar interests.
Business follows trust.
And trust takes time.
Replace Scrolling with Encouragement
One of the simplest ideas Brendan shared might also be the easiest to implement.
Instead of automatically reaching for social media during every free moment, he uses those small pockets of time to encourage someone else.
A quick text.
A congratulations.
A happy birthday.
A "thinking about you."
It doesn't require an hour.
Most of the time it takes less than a minute.
Imagine if we replaced just ten minutes of daily scrolling with ten minutes of investing in people.
I have a feeling we'd all build stronger relationships.
Why Books Continue to Matter
Toward the end of every Books4Guys podcast, I ask my guests the same question:
What books have made the biggest impact on your life?
Brendan's answer didn't disappoint.
He regularly gives books away as gifts because he believes great books change people. Among his recommendations were Atomic Habits, The Tipping Point, Relentless by Julian Edelman, A Random Walk Down Wall Street, and Godwinks.
That answer made me smile because it's exactly why Books4Guys exists.
Books introduce us to ideas we'll never discover on our own.
Sometimes one chapter is enough to change the direction of your career.
Sometimes one conversation changes your perspective forever.
Final Thoughts
If there's one lesson I took away from my conversation with Brendan, it's this:
Stop chasing perfect balance.
Start pursuing intentional living.
The people we admire most aren't successful because they somehow found extra hours in the day.
They're successful because they know what deserves their attention during each season of life.
They build systems instead of relying on motivation.
They invest in relationships before they need them.
They seek mentors.
They read constantly.
And they protect their time because they understand that every "yes" is also a "no" to something else.
That doesn't sound like work-life balance.
It sounds like living on purpose.
And I think that's a much better goal.
Continue the Conversation
If this article resonated with you, I encourage you to listen to my full conversation with Brendan P. Keegan on the Books4Guys Podcast. We dive deeper into leadership, mentorship, productivity, networking, and the principles behind his newest book, Unbalanced on Purpose.
You can listen or watch here:
If you're a leader, entrepreneur, business professional, or simply someone looking to become more intentional with your time, I also recommend picking up Brendan's books Unbalanced on Purpose, The FUD Factor, and Dare to Disrupt. Each one offers practical leadership lessons that challenge conventional thinking and encourage you to lead with courage, purpose, and conviction.
At Books4Guys, our mission is simple: introduce readers to books and conversations that help us become better readers, better thinkers, better leaders, and ultimately, better men. If you enjoyed this article, take a few minutes to explore our other book reviews, leadership articles, and podcast interviews—you just might discover your next great read.