If You’re Not Progressing, Try Subtracting (Day 24)

When we want to get more done, our instinct is to add more things to our days.

Add more habits. More goals. More strategies. More output.

But what if the fastest path forward isn’t found in adding anything, but in removing what’s in the way? I’ve seen this time and time again in my own life. The biggest leaps didn’t come from doing more. They came from cutting out what no longer served me.

Tiny distractions. Energy leaks. Outdated habits. All of them quietly pulling me off course.

When I removed them, things moved faster. I performed better, with less friction.

Subtraction works not because it adds power, but because it removes resistance.

In this post, I’ll break down three mental models that will help you rethink how progress really works — and show you how less might be the most practical path to more.

The Wisdom of Subtraction

Think about how a sculptor creates.

They don’t build by adding. They reveal the masterpiece by removing.

Every strike of the chisel strips away what doesn’t belong, until what’s left is something beautiful.

That’s what subtraction does in your life.

It clears the noise so your signal can shine through.

For me, this played out when I was building my coaching business. I remember was posting on Youtube, Instagram and Facebook, to grow my brand. I was setting up complicated email automations based on what people had interacted with. It soon became such a full time job to keep on top of marketing, that I lost sight of what I was doing it for. I felt overwhelmed and I wasn't enjoying the process.

So I cut 80% of it.

I focused on one offer, one channel, one message.

I only posted on Youtube, I sent out one email to everyone and had one program I offered. That’s when things clicked. Not because I added something new, but because I finally cleared space for what actually mattered. I was able to put more time into actually coaching which is what I enjoyed the most.

Taking things aways isn’t a step backward, it's a path toward precision.

Avoiding Stupidity > Seeking Brilliance

We love chasing brilliance.

We chase the perfect routine. The ultimate productivity system. The next life-changing book.

But often, the bigger leap comes from avoiding the small, dumb mistakes that quietly steal your potential.

The late-night scroll that kills your sleep. The extra drink that makes tomorrow a write-off. The multitasking that drains your focus and leaves you anxious.

We don’t notice the cost, because the losses are small.

But they add up.

Over time, tiny leaks sink big ships.

That’s why subtraction is so powerful. It helps you plug the leaks before they become floods.

Progress isn’t always about becoming smarter. Sometimes it’s just about being less careless.

Instead of asking “What’s the one thing I can do to change my life?”, ask “What are the three things I’m doing that are holding me back?”

That’s often the faster way forward.

Inversion Thinking: Flip the Problem

This quote made me laugh the first time I heard it, but it’s more than clever.

It’s a tool.

Inversion thinking means flipping the question. Instead of asking, “How do I succeed?”, ask “How do I fail?” — and avoid that.

It’s simple, but wildly effective.

• Want to improve your focus? → Stop checking your phone every 5 minutes.

• Want better energy? → Stop eating crap and going to bed at midnight.

• Want peace of mind? → Stop saying yes to things that drain you.

We all want complex answers. But often, the low-hanging fruit is right in front of us, if we’re willing to remove the things that don't serve us.

The path to your next breakthrough might not be in doing something new.

It might be in removing what’s blocking it.

Make Subtraction a Daily Practice

Subtraction isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a mindset.

A daily practice of asking:

• What am I doing that no longer serves me?

• What can I let go of today to make space for what matters?

• What would this look like if it were simple?

Let go of the need to do more.

Let go of the belief that progress has to feel like effort and intensity.

Sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is stop doing what’s keeping you stuck.

Progress comes from stripping away what’s holding you back.

That’s the art of subtraction.

So here’s your challenge:

Pick one thing to subtract this week.

Just one.

Maybe it’s a habit. A commitment. A thought pattern you keep buying into.

Remove it and notice what takes it’s place.

You might be surprised at how much lighter you feel.

And how much faster you move.

Adam