What we’re leaving behind — Kelford Labs Daily

Note: This is the last Kelford Labs Daily of 2024. The newsletter will return in January.

For thousands of years, we’ve been reminding ourselves that the secret to getting more done is to do less.

Most people are naturally bad at thinking that way. Our instinct is to pile more and more onto ourselves (always thinking that Future Us has more time and energy than Present Us) until we eventually burn out, give up, or get worse.

That’s a classic human move.

So every year around this time we think it’s a great idea to commit to doing more next year. As if with the passage of time we’re gaining energy.

But before I drift into too much philosophy or go on one of my classic rants about New Year’s Resolutions, let me get to the point:

If we want to get more good marketing done next year, in a way we can sustain, we need to do less of something else.

So, let’s do this together: Let’s think of one thing, today, that we’re not going to take into next year.  One task we can give up or dial down to make room for focusing somewhere else.

Me? I’ve been doing a lot more networking calls and conversations lately, and that takes up a lot of time I need to account for.

So I’ll be dialling back my LinkedIn efforts a bit to compensate. Then, in a few months, I’ll assess the relative success of the time investment and re-allocate as necessary.

Because the last thing I need is for my work on this newsletter to slip because I got burned out somewhere else. This is my primary focus, and I can’t have calls and coffee appointments eating into my thinking and writing time.

So whatever you’re hoping to do more of or get better at next year, remember to leave something behind.

If we don’t, you and me both, then in a few months we’ll be right back where we started.

Because we didn’t choose ahead of time what we were willing to lose.

I’m excited for everything you’re going to do next year, and I’m eager to hear how you’re working on your marketing. Reply to this email to let me know what you’re working on and what you’re leaving behind.

See you in 2025!

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