Cole: How do you prioritize work-life balance, and what advice do you have for junior professionals who are struggling to find balance? Boothe: I’ll be honest—for a long time, balance wasn’t something I achieved… or even valued. I wasn’t chasing success, exactly—I was chasing progress and equity, pouring everything into big fights and bold visions for our people. And I burned the candle at both ends. The wake-up call came when I was fired from a six-figure job I had completely overextended myself for. That’s when I realized I was disposable to a system I’d been sacrificing myself for. That moment changed how I saw work—and more importantly, how I saw myself. So I gave myself a gift: I take off every July. It’s symbolic—and necessary. It reminds me that my time, health, and peace matter.
These days, I’m more intentional. I listen to my body. I spend time in my prayer room. I’m turning my home into a sanctuary. I’ve made space to grieve what I’ve lost—relationships, deferred dreams, old versions of myself. I’m learning who I am outside of titles and missions. And that process requires space. It requires some version of balance—even if I’m still learning what that looks like for me. For junior professionals—especially those on a mission, grinding hard, chasing the next level—I want you to know this: This game you’re in... is life. You don’t “win” or “finish” and then rest. You rest along the way. Because there’s always going to be another milestone, another higher goal. So take the time now to be present in all the parts of your life. Explore who you are beyond your career. Because that time won’t be returned to you.
Photo: McBoat Photography
25 The Acumen
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