Most of the coaching clients I work with come to me because they want more. They want more quality of life and they want more physically: better health, more money, better sleep, more time for improved relationships, a more successful business, and more clients. So how do you get more?
An article by Jim Collins, author of Good to Great and co-author of Built to Last, provided a clue. In the article, he described doing an exercise that changed his life. It was one of those ‘If you only had a limited time to live, what would you do differently?’ exercises, and it showed Jim that he’d been spending a lot of energy on things that weren’t actually important to him, a realisation that led him to make some big changes.
Since then, I’ve realised that there is only room for new things in my life when I make room for them. To make room, I need to let go of some of the things currently in my life, so now I use a Let Go list to keep tabs on the things I’m going to stop doing.
To create your own Let Go list, start by identifying the three or four things that are most important to you. You could measure them as values, principles, or preferences; whatever works best for you. Prioritising will help you choose what’s IN and what’s OUT in your life from now on. Let go of things that need to go OUT.
For example, what work is it important for you to do? As a small business owner, there are undoubtedly things you shouldn’t be doing, so take a look at the way you’re spending your time and stop doing those tasks and activities that don’t meet your criteria. There won’t be room for the work that’s important if you’re spending your time doing work that isn’t!
While you’re at it, think about the sort of people you want to spend time with. What are their characteristics and/or behaviours? Set your own criteria, then think about the people in your world and examine whether they meet your needs. I have a belief that we’re the product of the five people we spend the most time with, so these days I pick and choose who I hang out with very carefully!
Now that you’ve super-charged your To Do list, it’s time to grab the bottle of tequila, head to the hammock and start prioritising and thinking about your Let Go list! Then tell us, what are you going to dump in order to make room for something better?
“ To create your own Let Go list, start by identifying the three or four things that are most important to you. ”
Ingrid Louise has a passion for business that is both infectious and inspiring. Her clients benefit from her extensive range of business skills and knowledge, which she generously shares as she encourages practical business success.
