Hierarchy is better than “Balance”

We’ve been sold a lie about “balance.”

Everyone’s chasing work-life balance like it’s the holy grail.

But when you’re juggling multiple roles — parent, business owner, partner, human — balance doesn’t work.

Why? Here’s what Amanda Goetz says:

Balance means equality—equal weight. And nothing about real life is equal.

In the morning, I’m not half-work, half-dad. I’m fully in dad-mode because that role demands the most of me at that time.

Yes, sometimes an email sneaks in. But I know the hierarchy:

Parent first. Everything else after.

Trying to be equal parts good parent and good worker?

That’s a losing battle.

Hierarchy beats balance.

Similar Posts

  • I Automated My YouTube Uploads to My Website (It Actually Worked)

    https://www.youtube.com/embed/MpsXFMGvg7s Want every YouTube video you publish to instantly appear on your website — no manual embedding required? In this video, I’ll show you how I used Zapier to connect YouTube and WordPress, so every time I post a new video, it automatically creates a new blog post with the embed already in place. We’ll…

  • The Best Gifts for Small Business Owners (2025 Edition)

    https://www.youtube.com/embed/13URd48X_38 Every year I put together a massive gift guide for small business owners — but this year, I wanted to do things differently. Instead of rattling off every gadget and tool I’ve ever tried, I’m sharing the handful of products that actually made my life easier in 2025. From sleep earbuds that help me…

  • Why I’m Trying a Shotgun Mic for Videos

    I love my Shure SM7B. It’s a fantastic sounding, forgiving microphone that I’ve been able to fine-tune over the last 18 months. It’s perfect for podcasts and screencasts. But when I got my Sony a6400, I noticed one problem: the mic is always in my way.

  • | |

    Testing the iPhone + Rode Pod Mic Movie Setup

    I’ve been experimenting with ways to easily use my iPhone as the main camera for my videos, and made some headway when I learned I could use my Zoom H5 as an XLR interface for iOS devices. In this video, we’ll see what my iPhone recording setup looks like, and how I’ll use it moving…

  • | |

    Who is iPhone 13 Pro Really For?

    The story Apple has been telling about iPhone 13 Pro is that it’s for movie makers and cinematographers. That’s a fun story. It might even work. But that’s not who iPhone 13 Pro is actually for. That’s just the story. That’s why they call it “Pro.”
    But if it’s not for movie makers, who is it really for?