The Career Choice You Can’t Undo

Showing Up Is the Work

Inside this issue

A practical way to protect what matters
A simple boundary that changes your days
Time to Sprint: Protect One Boundary This Week
What moment in your kids’ lives do you never want to watch through someone else’s phone?
Connect with Eddie
On the show this week
The Last Laugh: Can I just sit down for one second?
But before we get to all that, here’s what’s…

On My Mind

There was a moment in my conversation with Eddie Torba that lingered with me long after we wrapped.

“I’ve never missed a Christmas program. I’ve never missed a Halloween parade… those are experiences you can’t get back.”

What struck me was not the statement itself, but how casually he said it. No drama. No grand declaration. Just a quiet truth shaped by years of intentional choices.

Eddie did not stumble into a career that lets him show up for his kids. He built it that way. Sometimes by choosing flexibility over status. Sometimes by choosing structure over opportunity. Often by accepting tradeoffs that do not look impressive on paper but matter deeply in real life.

What I appreciated most is that Eddie never framed balance as something you solve once. He talked about it as something you practice. Daily. Imperfectly. With awareness.

Family dinners that happen most nights, not every night.

Workdays that end when the work is done, not when the clock says so.

Boundaries that require defending, especially when they would be easy to break.

Building a career that fits your life is not about one big decision. It’s about the small ones you make over and over again.

Designing Work Around Moments That Matter

Why it Matters

You don’t get a second chance at firsts. First plays. First concerts. First wins. First failures.

Eddie put it simply: “That’s experiences you can’t get back.”

If your career makes those moments optional, the cost shows up later.

How to Do It

Identify the non-negotiables first. School events. Family dinners. Mornings.
Build work around those anchors instead of squeezing them in later.
Choose roles, projects, or schedules that allow flexibility during those windows.

Pro Tip

Flexibility does not mean less commitment. It means committing to the right things first.

The Daily Done Test

Why it Works

Eddie shared that he ends most days asking himself one question.

Did I do what I needed to do today?

If yes, he shuts it down.

If not, he logs back in later after family time.

This removes guilt by turning balance into a decision, not a feeling.

How to Use It

Define what “done” means before the day starts
Stop working when you hit that line
Only return if you consciously choose to

Pro Tip

Not everything needs to be finished today. But what does need to be done should be clear.

Time to Sprint: Protect One Boundary This Week

The Focus

Pick one boundary Eddie lives by and try it for seven days.

Not to perfect it. Just to practice it.

Options

No calendar commitments on Sundays
Quiet time before work begins
A hard stop for family dinner

Why it Matters

Eddie warned what happens when boundaries slip.

“Once you break it once, it’s easy to break it again.”

The Goal

Progress, not perfection. One protected space is enough to change the rhythm of your week.

Your Move

What moment in your kids’ lives do you never want to watch through someone else’s phone? Hit reply and let me know. I read every response.

Connect with Eddie

Eddie Torba is a retail execution expert working full time with Ad Populum and the founder of EWS Consulting. He helps businesses improve efficiency, create structure, and bring a human element back to complex systems.

You can reach Eddie directly at: etorba@ewsconsulting.online

On the Show This Week

Continue the Conversation

My conversation with Eddie puts real stories behind the idea that balance is something you practice, not something you solve.

Eddie shares how he shaped his career around presence instead of titles, why boundaries only work when you protect them consistently, and how small, intentional decisions add up over time. We also dig into family dinners, remote work, side paths, and what it looks like to keep choosing what matters, even when life is busy.