Growth by Subtraction: How to Make Time for What Matters Most

When I was a kid, I said things like, “I won’t forget,” or “When I’m a dad, I won’t get mad.” Or…”I’m bored.”

But as you get older, and life puts you in various, unforeseen situations, it’s easy to get blindsided and react in a way you hoped you wouldn’t.

I think about this a lot when I consider what’s changed between turn 20 and turn 40. And there’s a common theme that has cropped up: pruning.

Letting go of what doesn’t work. Of where you used to spend your energy. About making more space in your life for the things that matter.

And I thought that there was no better person to bring on to talk about this than my friend, fellow freelancer, and fellow father, Austin L. Church. He’s a deep thinker, committed family man, and wants to help people.

Looking to prune what’s stealing your energy? Take the Business Overwhelm Diagnostic.

Top Takeaways

• Fluff vs. value in business books — many books stretch one idea into 300 pages, but the best insights are usually old, durable ideas worth revisiting.
• Growth by subtraction — focus and pruning beat doing “all the things.” Fractured attention leads to mediocre results.
• Attention as water — what you focus on grows. Stop “watering” indignation and instead nurture gratitude, creativity, and presence.
• Values over virality — not all success is worth emulating. If someone’s optimizing for attention or wealth at all costs, that doesn’t mean you should.
• Parenting parallels — kids remember how you respond more than what you say. Choosing patience, presence, and love shapes both them and you.
• “These are the good old days” — a simple mindset shift that makes it easier to stay present with family and avoid regrets later.

Links

• Austin’s post on pruning
• Austin L. Church — Freelance Cake
• Austin’s Book: Free Money
• Buy Back Your Time — Dan Martell
• Good Strategy Bad Strategy — Richard Rumelt
• Essentialism — Greg McKeown
• Dieter Rams — Principles Of Good Design

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