What Can You Put Down?
Maybe it’s spending more time in the RV where every inch matters. Maybe it’s the influence of a book I recently picked up, Essentialism. Or maybe it’s simply the season of life I’m in right now.
Lately, I’ve found myself asking a simple question:
What do I need to do less of so I can be more effective, more present, and more intentional in the areas that matter most?
Most of us spend our lives learning how to carry more.
More responsibility.
More commitments.
More expectations.
More obligations.
And for a while, that’s exactly what’s required.
We build careers. Raise families. Lead teams. Serve others. We learn to take on challenges and carry our share of the load.
But eventually, a different question emerges:
What am I carrying that I no longer need to carry?
A heavy ruck teaches an interesting lesson.
When you’re new to rucking, the focus is almost always on getting stronger. You want to carry more weight, walk farther, and move faster. Strength matters. Endurance matters. Capacity matters.
But every experienced rucker eventually learns the same lesson:
Not every item in the pack belongs there.
Some things were useful for a season.
Some things were added out of habit.
Some things were packed “just in case.”
And some things were never yours to carry in the first place.
The same is true in life.
Many of us are carrying commitments that no longer align with our priorities. Expectations that were handed to us by someone else. Obligations that made sense years ago but no longer serve the life we’re trying to build.
Sometimes we carry guilt.
Sometimes we carry worry.
Sometimes we carry responsibility for things we cannot control.
Over time, those things add weight.
The natural response is often to try harder. Work longer. Become more efficient. Push through.
But sometimes the next level isn’t found by adding more.
It’s found by putting something down.
An obligation.
An expectation.
A distraction.
A commitment that no longer aligns with who you’re becoming.
One tool that can help is a simple “stop-doing list.” Not because doing less is the goal, but because carrying less creates capacity for what matters most.
When we remove what is unnecessary, we create more space for what is essential.
More space for family.
More space for health.
More space for meaningful work.
More space for recovery, reflection, and growth.
The question isn’t always, “What should I do next?”
Sometimes the better question is:
What can I put down?
Not permanently.
Not dramatically.
Just for now.
Because before you ask how to go farther, it may be worth asking what you can leave behind.
Sometimes growth isn’t about carrying more.
Sometimes it’s about carrying less.
