Show Notes
Paul Mort joins James Smith for a no-holds-barred conversation on work-life balance, building a business you don't want to escape, and why most people are chasing a version of freedom they haven't earned yet. A two-time Master Coach of the Year, bestselling author, and podcast host, Paul Mort makes the case that work-life balance isn't a time problem or a workload problem; it's a clarity problem, and you can't hit a target you can't see.
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He explains:
◼️ How boundaries — not balance — are what actually protect your life
◼️ Why a great hire is an investment, not a cost
◼️ What a "shitty job" teaches you that Gen Z has been sold out of
◼️ Why you should buy back time before you buy the Ferrari
Chapters:
00:00 The Real Problem With Work-Life Balance
03:10 You Haven't Earned Chapter 20 Freedom Yet
04:45 Boundaries Are How You Protect What Matters
06:26 Hire People Who Manage You, Not the Other Way Round
08:55 Bringing Other Humans Into the Business
09:45 Death By a Thousand Requests
12:27 A Ferrari or a Member of Staff?
13:45 Why a Great Hire Is an Investment, Not a Cost
14:30 Has Gen Z Been Sold a Pipe Dream?
15:07 Why James Only Hires People Who've Had a Shitty Job
16:50 The Hires That Went Wrong
17:32 Your Biggest Haters Are Former Fans
20:25 Chasing Clout and Why It's Never About You
21:13 When the Comments Feel Like the Whole World
22:39 Defending Your Friends but Not Yourself
25:49 Practising Gratitude as Success Gets Complicated
27:01 Your Values Shift — and That Becomes a Boundary
29:14 Lying to Yourself About Being Happy "Later"
30:09 Could You Actually Retire? And Would You?
32:38 The Curse of the Creator-Led Business
34:06 The Fear of Losing Relevancy
35:02 Paul's 18-Month Disappearance and Comeback
35:54 Doing Less of the Stuff You Hate
36:51 The 2014 Ad That Turned James Into a Marketer
38:17 Why the Old Marketing Still Works
39:35 What Gen Z Doesn't See About the Grind
41:56 Eating Shit: Empty Seminars and Worse
42:08 The Boot Camp Disaster Story
42:47 The Hidden Work-Life Balance of a 9-to-5
45:11 A Shrinking Runway With the Kids
45:31 Jealous of People Sinking Beers at the Airport
47:34 Shedding Your Old Skin
47:42 Four Years Booze-Free and Training at Lunchtime
49:14 The Eight Sleep Obsession
53:57 Japanese Toilets and Things You Don't Value Till You Try
55:25 Why a Nice Car Is Integral to How You Feel
58:54 Being Sensible With Money to Buy Back Freedom
58:43 Swapping Time for Money, Money for Time, Money for Money
59:14 The Retirement Gamble Nobody Talks About
01:00:41 Diminishing Returns and Setting Up Your Kids
01:02:56 Getting Kicked Out of School and the Job Centre Story
01:04:48 Raising Kids to Know What Hard Work Feels Like
01:06:02 How Do You Feel About Tax?
01:08:00 Is the UK a Good Place to Build a Business?
01:09:02 Strong Opinions From People Who've Never Done It
01:10:18 Brown Belt Humility and Getting Touched Up by Pros
01:11:33 Getting Outclassed by Your Own 15-Year-Old Son
01:12:34 Seasons of Training — and the Hypocrisy of It
01:13:11 Why "Work a Bit Less" Is Too Vague to Work
01:14:08 How Do You Grow a Business in 3.5 Days a Week?
01:15:03 Ask Better Questions, Set Clearer Goals
01:15:44 What Paul's Working On: The 90-Day Transformation Returns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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