Everyone tells you that you need balance before you can start building your dream. But what if waiting for that perfect balance is actually the very thing keeping you stuck?

In this episode, I'm getting real about what it looks like to build a media company while working a 9-5, raising two kids, and managing existing businesses. The truth? You don't need balance to start. You need grit, resilience, and the creativity to find pockets of time that already exist in your day.

In this episode:

The Balance Myth Why balance isn't something you achieve before you begin—it's a compass, not a destination. And what it actually feels like to build among life's demands rather than waiting for them to calm down.

Finding Pockets of Time That Friday I finished work at 4:30 and had every excuse to go home—but stayed 30 minutes to record instead. How an 8-hour workday is actually really long when you look closely. And why you're not looking for hours, you're looking for pockets.

The Work Hangover My story of pushing too hard (a 9am-1am day) and paying for it physically. How my body shut down, the migraine that bled into the weekend, and what I learned about listening to the signals before the train arrives.

People Get What You Give Why I'm done going overboard. The difference between giving your best (sustainable, excellent) versus giving your all (depleting, destructive). And my salmon salad confession—ordering takeout with a fridge full of fresh food because that's what I had that day.

What You Actually Need Not balance. Not perfection. Not for life to calm down. You need grit to build amongst life, your own compass for what balance means to you, and boundaries to give your best without giving your all.

This isn't about having it figured out. I'm literally sharing what I learned seven days ago, showing you in real-time that it's possible to inch toward your dream anyway.

"Life is not going to stop just so that I can go create a better life for myself and my family."

"Days are long. An 8-hour workday is actually really, really long."

"Balance isn't about what it looks like from the outside in, it's about what it feels like on the inside."

"My output today is enough. We're going to give our best, but not our all."

"Your best is showing up with excellence at the capacity you have today. Your all is depleting yourself, burning out, sacrificing what matters most."

"You don't need balance, you don't need perfection, you don't need life to calm down. You just got to show up."

• What are you waiting for before you start? What's the perfect circumstance you've made up in your mind?
• What are the pockets in your day where you could take a step toward your dream?
• When was the last time your body told you that you've gone too far?
• Where are you giving your all when your best could be enough?
• What would change if you stopped feeling guilty about protecting your own energy?
• What's your version of "ordering in"—the strategic choice that preserves energy for what matters most?

Dan Sullivan's "10X is Easier Than 2X"

Welcome to The Letisha Bereola Show. I'm Tish—a working mom, podcast producer, and director of podcasting building a paradigm-shifting media company around my voice. This show is me documenting the journey in real-time, sharing what I'm learning as I learn it, without the perfect runway or all the answers. If you're building something in the margins of a full life, you've got me here with you the entire way.

Building something in the margins of your life? I want to hear what you're working on and how you're managing to fit it in. Send me a DM on Instagram [@letishaBereola] or leave a comment on YouTube.

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