Many of the New Year’s resolutions have one thing in common – addition. Adding exercise. Adding a new diet. Adding a new habit. But what about subtracting? What about removing something from our lives? Something that isn’t adding value? Something we’ve outgrown or no longer requires our attention?
I heard a story of a person asking a famous violinist from Carnegie Hall how she’d become so skillful. She replied -
“I decide everyday that I will neglect things and even people, that would take me away from my priority of practicing.”
That’s some serious dedication. For those of us with duties outside ourselves (kids, parents, pets, house plants, etc.) this may a bit heavy handed but the premise is no less true. All of us has someone or something we need to STOP.
Subtraction has many benefits:
- More time/money
- Conserve energy
- Increase focus
- Become super rich (this is not always true. in fact, it’s not true at all)
- Complete goals faster
Whom or what will you neglect in 2013?