<p>Most conversations about work-life balance start with the wrong question.</p><p>We assume the goal is to <em>limit</em> work, to keep it from taking too much of our lives. So we optimize for time, energy, and boundaries, all while treating work as something to manage or escape.</p><p>In this solo episode, Brandon challenges that premise. He steps back to ask a more fundamental question:</p><p>What is work actually for?</p><p>Brandon explores how work can serve as both a platform for growth and a vehicle for contribution. It&#39;s one of the few arenas where we can test our capabilities, develop judgment, and apply our gifts in ways that genuinely help others.</p><p>He shares why fulfillment doesn’t come from balance or hours worked, but from alignment — integrating work, family, and personal development into a single system aimed at growth, love, and service.</p><p>This isn’t a prescription. It’s an exploration into what it means to live and work well.</p><ul><li><p>Why “work-life balance” starts from the wrong assumption</p></li><li><p>Defining the <em>real</em> problem: what role work plays in a life well lived</p></li><li><p>How work creates the feedback loops that drive capability and maturity</p></li><li><p>The connection between growth, love, and contribution</p></li><li><p>How alignment replaces balance as the goal</p></li><li><p>Why work is something to steward, not escape</p></li></ul><p>“Work isn’t something to balance against life. It’s one of the primary ways we learn how to live it.”</p><p>If this episode sparks reflection — or disagreement — Brandon would love to hear from you.<br>Reach out on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-bartneck/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">LinkedIn</a> or at <a href="" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">buildingbetterpod.com</a>.</p><p><em>Building Better with Brandon Bartneck</em> explores what it means to build. Better companies, better systems, and better lives. Through conversations and reflections, Brandon digs into the principles that drive growth, purpose, and meaningful work.</p><p>Music credit: Slow Burn - Kevin MacLeod</p>