Take a look at all of the things you are involved in, doing in your work, or at your organization. Which do you need to hit the Escape button on? About what do you tell yourself, “Times have changed…this doesn’t make as much sense anymore.” I like to ask professionals what their #1 problem is that is limiting them in their organization. The most common answer is not enough time and resources. They dedicate their time and resources to doing certain things, then they add new things on top of that, the next year they add more new things on top of that. Three years ago they had 4 projects. Last year they had six. This year they have eight. They have the same amount of time in the workweek, same amount of resources to work with but are now trying to do twice as much with the same amount of time and same amount of resources. Some are trying to do it with less resources.
I applaud people wanting to do something new. What doesn’t work is adding something new on top of everything else. You do everything with less quality. A point has to come where you hit the Escape button on what is working the least well or is the least needed to be able to make room for something new. You need to make time to think up what that something new could be and to give it a fair shake. You can’t do it if you are operating so many things at once that you can’t give proper focus or quality devotion to any one thing. Perhaps this could be the year of Escape for you. You back out of or even cut 3 things that are not needed as much now as they were before. You use this new space to develop something new that is even more relevant.
Commit yourself to hitting escape on 3 things this year. It is a liberating experience to gain those hours and resources back. It is motivating to develop something better and new for the future with those reclaimed resources and hours. Make a list right now…what 3 things could you cut? What 1 new thing could you add in if you freed up the time to think it, develop it, and launch it well?