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Bill Gurley Says Work-Life Balance Is a Lie (For People Who Want to Be Great)

By Bill Gurley · Startup Growth · 1 min read

We celebrate a ballet dancer's 80-hour weeks. But an entrepreneur's? Suddenly it's heretical.

Key Points

We celebrate 80-hour weeks in athletics and art but condemn them in business
You don't have to grind — but don't expect to excel without it
It's the same thing regardless of the field

To think that you're going to excel and not grind? Good luck.

The Double Standard

Gurley: There's this great dichotomy. We've all gotten so excited about the notion of work-life balance. When we study great athletes or musicians or chess players, or even a painter — if a ballet dancer works 80 hours a week on her craft, we all think that's glorious. Oh my God, Michael Jordan practices more than anyone else.

But when you apply it to the work environment, all of a sudden it's heretical. Oh my God, they don't believe in work-life balance. Well, it's the same thing.

If a ballet dancer works 80 hours a week, we all think that's glorious. But in business, all of a sudden it's heretical.

The Trade-Off

Gurley: If you want to be at the top of your game, you've got to decide whether you want to make that trade-off or not. You don't have to. There are plenty of jobs on this planet where you can work 9 to 5. And you may care way more about your family life, personal life — and that's fine too.

But to think that you're going to excel and not grind? Good luck.

To think that you're going to excel and not grind? Good luck.