Subtract

Subtract(səbˈtrakt)

By Derek Sivers

Life can be improved by adding(ad), or by subtracting. The world pushes us to add, because that benefits them. But the secret is to focus on subtracting.

Imagine(iˈmajən) a horizontal(ˌhôrəˈzän(t)l) line, with 0 on the left and 20 on the right. I want to be in the middle, at 10. But I’m at 17.

“What can I add to get to 10? I tried adding 8 but that didn’t work. Maybe 3 would help. I should go all-out and add 50.”

No amount of adding will get me where I want to be.

The adding mindset is deeply ingrained(inˈgrānd). It’s easy to think I need something else. It’s hard to look instead at what to remove.

The least(lēst) successful people I know run in conflicting(kənˈfliktiNG) directions, drawn to distractions, say yes to almost everything, and are chained(CHān) to emotional(iˈmōSHənəl) obstacles(ˈäbstəkəl).

The most successful people I know have a narrow(ˈnarō) focus, protect against time-wasters(ˈwāstər), say no to almost everything, and have let go of old limiting beliefs.

More people die from eating too much than eating too little. Most of us have too much baggage(ˈbagij), too many commitments(kəˈmitmənt), and too many priorities(prīˈôrədē).

Subtracting reminds me that what I need to change is something already here, not out there.

https://sivers.org/subtract