When it comes to urban legends, I suppose you can't beat Bigfootand Nessie, but there's a new one that's on the verge of becomingthe greatest of all time. 

Like all good myths, this one sounds like it could be true.After all, didn't our parents have more balance than we do? Theycertainly didn't have the technology and 24-hour connection to theoffice. Heck, they thought call waiting was cool. (Ah, callwaiting. It's a slippery slope, isn't it?)

Self-proclaimed gurus attract thousands of attendees to theirvery expensive workshops, promising to help them attain thatmystical state known as work/life balance. These are the samepeople who tell you that if you want more business, you must firsttell the universe about it.

Call me crazy, but when I want more business, I first tell myprospects about it.

Yes, work/life balance is a myth. It's not even biblical.Ecclesiastes doesn't say, “a time to do it all at once, in perfectproportion and balance.” No, it says, “To everything, turn, turn,turn, there is a season, turn, turn, turn…”

Or something like that.

The point is that it's not just a harmless myth; it's a lie. Andlisten to me, salespeople, it's killing our families and ourbusinesses.

Have you noticed that as we try to do it all, we end up doing itall wrong? There's nothing worse than missing your kid's ballgameand your quota. But we do it every day. And the guilt and stresshave had a good run, but, just like “Jersey Shore,” it's time forit to end.

So my advice is to stop talking about balance and start talkingabout seasons.

I live outside Nashville, Tenn., where we're surrounded byfarms.It dawned on me the other day that you would never ask afarmer to go to Disney World on spring break because he only has alimited window to plant. 

The more I thought about my neighbors, the more I realized theapplication to you and me. The farmer is so productive in thespring because he has to be. It's his top priority. His familydoesn't get upset about the long hours because they understand it'sspring. They know if they don't plant in the spring, they don't eatin the fall. They also know there will be time to play after thework is done.

Since you and I don't work in a field, we need to create anartificial spring. Maybe your spring is one month each quarter.Maybe it's the first week of each month. During that time,prospecting and generating sales is your top priority.

Remember, though, that spring is only one season. It doesn'tlast all year. When you have success, the temptation is to extendyour springtime activity. But that only puts you right back whereyou started, and the stress saps your productivity.

Talk about value-added service. I just saved you thousands ofdollars and a weekend of your life trying to find your balance.Forget the balance and turn, turn, turn…