What are you giving up?

Here’s an illuminating exercise to do in your free-time:

Make a list of all the things you want to accomplish this year or next. Then, write down all your priorities (the important things you need to do or focus on to hit those targets).

Finished? Now, write down a list of all the things you’ll have to give up in order to make those priorities happen.

See a theme?

Most of the things you have to give up to make your world significantly bigger fall into one of two categories: Things that waste time, and things that feel comfortable.

That’s because progress is largely the result of more time spent doing what matters and expanding your circle of comfort, relative to your past self.

It’s simple, but difficult. Which is why success is so rare, because most people fall short in at least one category.

Whatever the case, knowing what to quit is the first step in making space for the things that count.