Winning at Work without Losing at Life

If you’ve ever felt your calendar winning over your calling, this episode is for you.
The truth? You don’t have to trade your soul for success. In this interview with Matt Farnham, I reveal how I built a 100% referral-based business while protecting my time, my faith, and my family.

You’ll learn:

• Why boundaries are business assets, not liabilities

• How to calibrate rhythm and margin into your days

• The mindset shifts that freed me from hustle culture

• What faith-first leadership looks like in practice

• How to lead with purpose, not pressure

If you’re ready to build a business that fuels your life — this episode is your compass.

Next Steps

• Audit your calendar: Are you saying yes more than you should?

• Share the episode with someone who’s feeling overwhelmed

• Leave a review — let’s change the narrative of hustle together

Transcript & Highlights
We dive into the boundaries I set, how faith undergirds productivity, and the counterintuitive moves that sustain longevity.

Introduction

Matt Farnham:
Welcome back to the One Life Podcast! I want to thank you again for listening and being part of our One Life community. This episode for me is really awesome because our guest is a new friend in my life—but honestly, of all the people I’ve met in this industry, he really is living out the whole idea of “One Life.”

Garrett Maroon is here with us today. Garrett, I’m excited you’re with us. To give you a formal introduction if I could…

Garrett Maroon:
Yeah, brother.

Matt Farnham:
And first of all, the title of this talk is going to be The Balanced Breakthrough: Winning at Work Without Losing at Life. That title comes directly from Garrett’s upcoming book, which we’ll get to in a few minutes.

Just by way of introduction, Garrett’s real estate journey began with just 40 names in his database. In just over 10 years, he sold more than 650 homes—all through relationships, without spending a dime. He leads a referral-based group in Southeast Virginia and has four children (with one more on the way in 2023). So, he’s also slightly crazy, apparently! Garrett, bro, welcome to the show.

Garrett Maroon:
Thanks, buddy. I haven’t slept in a while, so give me some grace. I’m honored to be here, and I appreciate your kind words about living out the One Life. I’d say I’m striving to live that well—I don’t always, but the Lord’s been gracious. Excited to be here.

Living Out “One Life”

Matt:
You just teed up my first question perfectly. One Life is all about living your mission, purpose, faith, marriage, and family—through your business rather than compartmentalizing them. You exemplify that. Do you see yourself that way?

Garrett:
Man, it’s a great question. I think we’re all our own harshest critics. But yes, I’ve been fortunate in 11 years to have had enough awareness early on to protect my time. Almost from year one, I’d sit with clients and say, “Here are my hours: 9 to 7 Monday through Friday, done at 5 on Wednesday for date night, Saturday by appointment, no Sundays unless actively negotiating.”

I had the awareness that if I succeeded in real estate but lost my marriage along the way, what was the point? That helped me protect my time.

But I’ll also admit—like any entrepreneur—it’s hard. Even when I’m physically present, I’m not always mentally present. For example, my wife and I had a date night recently and she started dreaming about living in Tennessee. I immediately went into “business strategy” mode, talking about team growth and plans. She stopped me and said, “I don’t want to talk about work.”

That’s when it hit me again: I constantly need reminders. That’s why I keep what I call the scoreboard behind me—to help me focus on what actually matters.

Redefining the Scoreboard

Matt:
That caught my attention—tell me about your scoreboard. I assume it’s not about closings or commissions?

Garrett:
Exactly. This is really the foundation of my book. By 2019, I had four agents, three full-time admin, and a successful referral business. I realized I could double my profit—but it would mean working 60 hours a week.

That moment, sitting in my backyard, the Lord gave me clarity: In five years, would I rather be the guy who worked more and made more—or the guy who made the same but had more time with family?

As I walked up to my office, I realized that everything on my whiteboard—transactions, GCI, volume—was their scoreboard, not mine. I’d fallen for the industry’s definition of success.

So I created my own:

1. Profit goal (yes, still important).

2. Wife goal: one day date and one night date every month.

3. Family goal: take every seventh week completely off to be present with my family.

Now, every decision filters through those goals. For example, if a speaking event falls on that seventh week off, I say no. It’s given me a way to redefine the win—success measured on my terms.

What Are You Measuring?

Matt:
That’s inspiring. What you track grows, and I’ve never intentionally tracked that kind of stuff. My calendar holds family time, but it’s not up and visible.

Garrett:
Thank you, brother. And yes, the industry’s scoreboard makes us believe success is more deals, more awards, bigger teams. But when you meet agents privately, you realize many are exhausted, struggling, or disconnected.

I once spoke at a conference, and a high-producing mom told me, “I sold 50 homes last year—everyone’s asking if I’ll do 70 this year. But after hearing you, I’m intentionally going for 30, because I’ve never picked up my daughter from school.”

That conversation changed me. Most agents got into real estate for freedom—time, family, flexibility—but end up chained to the very business they thought would set them free.

If your calling is to sell five homes so you can homeschool your kids or be at every dinner, that’s a win. The industry celebrates production; heaven celebrates presence.

The Trap of Striving

Matt:
That’s powerful. I’ve noticed that workshops about balance and harmony always get high registration but low attendance—agents want it, but they still choose the next deal over that workshop.

Garrett:
Exactly. And I understand the tension—some are in seasons where they need the money. Hustle hard in that season, but then reset.

The danger is we tell ourselves, “This is just a season of striving,” but we never stop. We forget how to rest.

I have a friend right now grinding 18-hour days to make ends meet. I told him, “Brother, I’m proud of you. You’re providing for your family. Praise God for your endurance. But once this season passes, set new boundaries.”

Work hard when needed—but don’t make striving your identity.

Business as Ministry

Matt:
How has your purpose shifted from when you started to now?

Garrett:
At first, I was just trying to survive. It took me five months to make my first sale and two years to realize I was even an entrepreneur.

But in late 2022, I hit a wall. I was reading Ecclesiastes—King Solomon saying that everything under the sun is meaningless. I started asking God, “Why am I doing this? Who do You want me to serve?”

The answer came clearly: Christian real estate agents. That’s who I am; that’s who I should serve.

Building a Faith-Based Team

Matt:
Tell me about your team—the 2:10 Realty Group.

Garrett:
We’re a biblically based referral team. We’ll work with anyone, but our foundation is faith. We pray, read Scripture, and talk about body, mind, and spirit in every meeting.

When an agent says they struggle with discipline, I don’t just say “work harder.” I say, “Let’s look at what Scripture says about self-control.” It’s a spiritual issue, not just behavioral.

Outwardly, we’re not pushy, but we’re clear about who we are. Clients aren’t surprised when we pray for them. We even pause transactions for people’s anniversaries because family matters more than deals.

Labeling ourselves as a faith-based team holds us accountable—it keeps us walking the talk.

Reactions to Faith in Business

Matt:
How have people responded to that? Any pushback?

Garrett:
Almost none, thankfully. One past client asked to be removed from our database after we announced the biblical focus—but that’s okay. Most people appreciate the honesty.

Some aren’t believers, but they’re moved when we offer prayer. Authenticity attracts respect. We’re not forcing anything—we’re simply living what we believe.

Authenticity Over Image

Matt:
Our listeners might not all share our faith, but One Life is about living authentically—blurring lines between who you are and what you do.

Garrett:
Exactly. The industry tells us, “Be this person to succeed.” But business works best when you build around who you already are.

You don’t need the fancy car or slick hair to be credible. Be you. That’s the easiest and most sustainable version of success.

The world doesn’t need your ideal self—it needs your real self.

Imposter Syndrome and Authenticity

Matt:
So true. Imposter syndrome only happens when we’re trying to be someone else.

Garrett:
Right. Be who God made you. Some are called to sell 15 homes and have dinner with their family every night. That’s excellence too.

Authenticity erases imposter syndrome because there’s no mask left to maintain.

The Book: The Balanced Breakthrough

Matt:
Let’s talk about your book! What inspired it?

Garrett:
Funny story—the working title was The Common Agent Scoreboard until my publisher told me, “That’s terrible.” They asked questions, and The Balanced Breakthrough was born.

The heart behind it? I’ve seen too many agents celebrated on stage whose marriages are falling apart—or who are broke because they overspent chasing status.

I wanted to give agents permission to win differently—to redefine success on their own terms.

The book lays out how to:

1. Redefine the win.

2. Create a predictable, profitable business aligned with who you are.

If it helps agents become better spouses, parents, and disciples—not just top producers—it’s done its job.

Comparison and Contentment

Matt:
I love that. My coach once told me, “If you could see behind the curtain of the people you’re comparing yourself to, you wouldn’t trade lives with any of them.”

Garrett:
That’s it. The industry says, “Look around and see who’s winning.” But we don’t know anyone’s full story.

Your potential isn’t fixed or identical to someone else’s. Stop comparing. It’s like a minivan comparing itself to a Lamborghini—it’s not built for the same thing.

At the end of life, none of the houses we sell will matter. What will matter are the relationships we nurtured.

“At your headstone, there will be a date, a dash, and another date. What will that dash represent?”

Faith, Purpose, and Perspective

Matt:
You’re fearfully and wonderfully made. Each of us was created on purpose and for a purpose.

Garrett:
Amen. And Ephesians reminds us: “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all we can ask or think…” But only if we walk in the plan He designed for us.

We waste energy wishing we were someone else. Instead, ask, “What can I do with what God’s given me?”

The Hierarchy of Attention

Garrett:
For me, that’s the hierarchy of attention:

1. The Lord

2. My wife

3. My kids

4. My work

We often think we can give everything to everyone, but our focus must be intentional. I’ll rate myself in each area 1–10 and ask, “What’s one thing I can do this week to raise that number by one?”

That kind of reflection keeps my priorities in check.

Fatherhood and Leadership

Matt:
Let’s talk family. You’ve got four young kids and one on the way. How has fatherhood shaped your leadership?

Garrett:
It’s shown me how often I say things I don’t model. Convicting, right?

Parenting reminds me that my greatest calling isn’t to my clients—it’s to raise children who know and love Christ.

There are nights I don’t feel like doing family worship or playing Legos—but I remember, this is leadership. These moments matter most.

I don’t want my kids to see work as something that steals dad from them. I want them to know it’s a blessing that provides for our family.

So I changed my language: instead of, “Sorry, Daddy has to go to work,” I say, “Daddy gets to go to work—it’s how we serve our family.”

Communication and Alignment at Home

Garrett:
And one more lesson—it took me three years to finally ask my wife, “Would you rather I be home more even if I sell fewer homes?” She said, “Absolutely.”

I’d assumed she wanted more production when she really wanted more presence. That changed everything.

As my kids grow, I’ll keep having that conversation: “What do you need from me?” They’re part of this mission too.

Final Reflections

Matt:
If you could leave one word of encouragement for people trying to live “One Life,” what would it be?

Garrett:
Die to self. That’s the foundation of a Christ-centered life.

We live in a culture obsessed with self-care and self-focus. There’s nothing wrong with rest or hobbies, but our calling is bigger than us.

Follow Jesus’ example—He laid down His life for others. We do the same when we put our family, faith, and calling above our own comfort.

That’s how we live one integrated, God-honoring life.

Closing Prayer

Matt:
Beautiful. Would you close us out in prayer?

Garrett:
Absolutely.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your kindness and for giving us spaces to encourage and challenge one another.

I pray for everyone listening—today, tomorrow, or years from now—that You’d meet them where they are.

For those feeling empty, draw them near. Let them ask, Who are You, God? and allow You to reveal Yourself.

Help us remember that our main purpose isn’t to sell more homes but to love well—our families, our clients, and our communities.

Free us from the false scoreboards of success. Let us define the win in ways that bring You glory.

Bless Matt and this ministry. Let every listener walk away encouraged and reminded that the legacy that matters most is the one built in love and faithfulness.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Conclusion

Matt:
Amen. Garrett, thank you, brother. You’ve been a blessing.

Everyone, you can find links to Garrett’s upcoming book The Balanced Breakthrough, his Faithful Agent Podcast, and his 2:10 Collective community in the show notes at theonelifepodcast.com.