Self-made millionaire: The French are wrong. Work-life balance should not be the goal

Serge Mouraret | Getty Images

With a 35-hour work week and more vacation time than just about any other country, France is the envy of slackers everywhere.

Now France has begun enforcing a new law many are calling the "right to disconnect," which basically gives French workers the right to ignore business emails that arrive after hours.

The law stems from the idea so many people have of "work-life balance." But if you are making a middle-class income, work-life balance is the wrong goal. You don't need balance in your life — you need money.

Here are all the ways the French have gotten this one wrong.

You should focus on earning, not on comfort

Middle-class Americas want nothing more than to be comfortable, even if that means they never will get rich. Comfort is king for too many people. The problem is, if you are stuck making $50,000 a year you will never get out of being uncomfortable, because you have nothing left over financially.

If you become comfortable, you take less action. When you take less action, you stop pushing to fulfill your potential.

Seeking comfort over financial freedom is what separates the moderately successful from the most successful.

Find your passion and your work hours won't matter

The French justify their law by arguing that workers become burned out with no boundary between professional and personal life. But you don't become burned out because you get an email at 8 p.m. You get burned out because you haven't found your purpose in your work or your career.

Once you've found your purpose, you will not be watching a clock waiting to get home so you can watch your favorite sitcom.

Express | Getty Images

Instead of what you can get, figure out what you can give

Life doesn't come with a guaranteed salary. Instead, when you give, you get a commission. If you eat healthy, you get the commission of good health. If you make an effort to find the right person, you get the commission of a marriage. When it comes to your career, recognition for a job well done is a commission. A raise or a promotion is a commission, too.

Instead of thinking about work in terms of how many hours you can take off, start thinking about what you can give. You'll be surprised at how much you can get back.

Laziness is self-defeating

Laziness is an entitlement concept accepted by the middle class that crushes any chance you have of greatness.

The French have just legislated laziness as a right. Apparently the 35 hours employees there suffer through is too much and they can't be bothered with any work-related business emails over their long weekends.

And French entitlement has gotten a foothold in the U.S. Many people here believe the government should take care of them.

Take a moment to think about why you must have five days to work and take the weekend off regardless of your personal finances. If I were making $60,000 a year, I would not be content working eight hours at a job that I leave at 5 p.m.

You have to get your hustle on to get your financial freedom. Of course it's not just about the hustle, you need skills, too. But the biggest obstacle of many is the entitlement mentality.

Take this lesson from the French: Don't be them.

Grant Cardone is an entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, and sales training expert.