Purposeful Abandonment: How to Let Go of What Holds you Back
Peter Drucker coined the phrase ‘purposeful abandonment’.
You won’t grow until you purposefully abandon what holds you back.
Your attitudes, behaviors, abilities, and opportunities are responsible for where you are today, for the person you have become.
Purposeful Abandonment:
#1. Loathing:
Abhorrence ignites a desire for change, but it can’t energize forward momentum. How can you turn toward instead of running away?
Identity guides what you do. What you do forms who you become. Change what you do to change who you become.
- What attitudes and behaviors brought you to a point of persistent frustration?
- What behaviors are likely to bring you to increased fulfillment? Which can you do today?
#2. Questions for reflection:
- What frustrates?
- What drains energy?
- What wastes time?
- What produces small returns?
- Which customers or employees should be sent to competitors?
- Is it time to stop petting a pet project?
- What distracts from leveraging strengths?
#3. Purposeful abandonment meetings:
Schedule a purposeful abandonment meeting to ask, “What should we stop doing?”
- Do returns justify expense?
- How much would it matter if we stopped …?
- How are we squandering strengths?
- How are these activities aligned with mission and vision?
- What would you rather pour energy into? Why?
Tip: If you’re afraid to schedule a ‘stop doing’ meeting, just ask a purposeful abandonment question at the beginning of a meeting.
Inspiration:
This post is inspired by a Mark Miller’s guest post on Leading with Questions.
Mark’s question, “What are you afraid will happen if you stop the current work?”, got me thinking.
What are you afraid you will lose? Identity is connected to what you do.
- What part of yourself do you fear losing?
- Who are you afraid you will become?
- Who will be displeased with you if you practice purposeful abandonment?
What do you need to stop doing? Think of self-defeating behaviors.
Discuss humility, leadership, The Vagrant, and whatever topics you bring up.
Email: TheVagrantBook@gmail.com for the ZOOM LINK.
This useful conversation is open to you whether you purchased The Vagrant or not.
And it’s my birthday!
Happy Birthday!! Another wonderful year awaits!! You seem to post just what I need to reflect on when it’s needed, are you a mind reader haha? We all have very personal, very passionate journeys through our attachments to the work we do — it does create and define us. We only have so much space to care and deciding to actively choose where to care and when to stop — putting that energy to work elsewhere — is a task of personal evolution.
Thanks for your birthday wishes. I’m glad to be alive. Your insights are profound. Change is about personal evolution. The way we think about ourselves powerfully impacts the things we choose to do. Or choose not to do!
Thanks Dan and Happy Birthday! When I stopped accepting the unacceptable my vision of what could be expanded.
Thanks Richard. Your sentence is one to live by, “When I stopped accepting the unacceptable my vision of what could be expanded.”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Thank you! And thanks for consistently leaving valuable comments.
Happy Birthday Dan!! Perfect time to reassess your goals for the upcoming year. And cheers to you, you survived another year!
Thanks Jenn and thanks for the nudge. I love that. Cheers
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAN! I finished The Vagrant on a flight last week. LOVED IT! Adding it to my recommended reading list! Of course, I personally couldn’t relate to any of his issues but I’m sure others will…(kidding, obviously!)
Thank you Brian. And like you, I couldn’t relate to any Bob’s issues in The Vagrant. 🙂 … Frankly, the book isn’t biographical, but I’ve done everything Bob did and more.
Good morning! Happy Birthday! Birthdays to me are like my grandchildren. I love seeing them come! Thanks for what you do for all of us.
Thanks Tim. We might not like birthdays, but the alternative is less desirable.
Happy Birthday to Chief Rockwell …
May peace, love and health be served upon you for years to come!
Thanks SJ. “Chief” … that’s a new one. I’ve been called worse. Cheers
Happy Birthday Dan! Started The Vagrant this morning. Fun reading. I’m enjoying Bob’s discovery of what might be challenges in his work. First clue is “volume”.
I have seen others and have been the one sucking up all the air in the room. Have reformed for the better! Let’s see what Bob does….
Thank you. Birthday’s are good things. Thanks for purchasing The Vagrant. I hope it continues to be enjoyable for you and useful. Sounds like you’re picking up the cues. 🙂
happy birthday ! ! & this one is a gem
Thank you, Tone. Cheers!