Work-Life Balance is Overrated: Why Young Coaches Should Go All In

I've noticed a growing trend of younger coaches seeking advice on "work-life balance."

But if you're a coach in your twenties, chasing that balance too early might be exactly what’s holding you back.

The early years in this field are about building, not balancing.

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Young coaches should focus on building, not balancing.

Here are 5 reasons why I ditched work-life balance in my 20s and encourage young coaches to do the same.

1. Balance What, Exactly?

What are you really trying to balance in your early 20s?

For most young coaches, the pull isn't between work and family.

It’s work and fun.

And while there's nothing wrong with fun, choosing to have more fun when starting often means sacrificing career momentum.

On the other hand, a few years of focused effort can put you years ahead of your peers later.

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Sacrificing some fun in your 20s for success in your 30s is a trade worth making.

2. You Stand Out By Going All In

Early in your career, your one competitive advantage is effort.

You don’t yet have a name, a network, or a resume filled with wins and results.

What you do have is the ability to outwork people.

To say yes to things others won’t. To stay late, show up early, and volunteer for everything, including the things you don't want to do.

Those who stand out early build reputations that open doors, which in turn lead to more opportunities.

But you’ve got to earn your way into that momentum.

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Say yes to everything and figure out how to make it work.

3. This is the Cheapest Time in Your Life to Go All In

You likely don’t have kids. You probably don’t have a mortgage. You might not even have a dog.

This is the window where you can live on a shoestring budget, take low-paying gigs, move across the country, or crash on a friend’s couch if needed.

You can say yes to the opportunity that doesn’t make sense financially, but might be the spark that changes your trajectory.

You’ll never have less overhead than you do right now.

Use that freedom. Be a nomad if needed.

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Take advantage of the one asset you do have: flexibility and freedom to make moves.

4. It Takes Real Work to Make Real Money

Coaching isn’t a get-rich-quick profession.

You don’t walk into six-figure jobs.

You earn them through years of hard work and dedication. And those years usually start in your twenties.

This doesn’t mean burning out or glorifying hustle culture.

But it does mean being honest: if you want financial stability later, it starts with intentional sacrifice now.

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Financial stability will likely take a decade of feeling overworked and underpaid.

5. Balance Comes After You Build

Nobody wants to grind forever.

But you don’t need balance when you're still trying to break into the industry.

Once you've built your foundation, you can create more balance on your terms.

But here's the truth: you may never have balance.

In team sports, many of us don't have the luxury of saying no or determining our schedules.

We travel with the team, work unpredictable hours, and are always on call.

Even when we're away, we feel the pressure of being available.

But we signed up for it and we accept it.

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Focus on building, worry about "balance" later.

Less Balance, More Building

This message isn’t for everyone.

But if you're a young coach reading this, know that there's nothing wrong with going all in.

It’s not unhealthy. It’s smart strategy.

Building now can pay off later and benefit you for the rest of your life.

The right time for balance is different for everyone.

But for many, it doesn’t start in your early 20s.

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To avoid burnout and build with a team of performance professionals just like you, check out the Applied Performance Coaching Community

"Work-Life Harmony"

Now that I am in my 30s and have achieved some level of success in my S&C career, my mindset has shifted slightly.

I am still all in, and rather than balancing my work and life obligations, I am trying to harmonize them.

The concept of "Work-Life Harmony" originated from Jeff Bezos and resonated deeply with me.

It's the idea that our work can give us energy, which translates across life and at home, and vice versa.

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Work and life do not have to be balanced against each other, but instead can fuel each other.

Cheers to your success,

Ramsey