Subtraction Is The Key To Achieving Your Goal

JOB SEARCH STRATEGY
Look To Subtract Before You Add.

This week, I was in New York City at a founder meetup.

We arrived at the German beer garden for the event, the bouncer checked our IDs, and we made our way to the beer ticket kiosk.

The organizer turned to me and asked, “How many tickets do you want?”

“None,” I said, “I’m not drinking. I’m driving and cut it out a few weeks ago.”

He bought a couple of tickets, and we found a table.

As each founder came into the event, he asked the same question.

“How many drink tickets do you want?”

Every one of them responded the same way.

“None.”

In my career, I had never been to a professional event where no one was drinking when free booze was offered, so I had to ask the question on my mind.

“So, everyone, what’s the deal? Why is no one drinking?“

The founder of the largest business started to speak.

His answer was the same as the others.

What he shared could be the key to landing the job you want.

And now I’m sharing it with you.

Subtract To Add.

“So,” I said, “What’s the deal? No one is drinking? I thought I would be the only one.”

Anthony runs a large agency and was the first to speak.

“The business was doing well, but I knew I needed to change something to take it to the next level. The first thing I saw that could be eliminated was alcohol. It just wasn’t serving me.”

Almost all the founders had a similar version of the same story.

Some had struggled to keep their alcohol consumption controlled in the past and had gotten sober.

Most considered themselves casual drinkers but found that alcohol took more than it gave.

So they eliminated it.

Eliminating behaviors that aren’t serving your current mission isn’t new, but the impacts can be profound.

Most People Add.

The common strategy to make progress toward a goal is to add.

You add a morning routine.

You add a specific type of diet.

You add books, systems, and people.

Add, add, add.

It’s the same reason people are obsessed with the new hot miracle drug.

“You mean I can shoot myself with a syringe, eat all the pizza I want, and keep my six-pack abs? I’ll take 10!”

No one wants to go through the discomfort of removing something from their life.

It’s easy to add.

It’s uncomfortable to subtract.

But what subtraction does is give you space.

And that space creates mental clarity, creativity, and drive.

All key ingredients to achieving your goals.

What It Looks Like In Practice.

Let’s use alcohol as an example.

Casual drinks can effortlessly lead to late nights and having one too many.

That can lead to anxiety, putting things off for tomorrow, and a lack of productivity in the following days.

Social media is another example.

A casual check of Instagram turns to an aggregate of hours spent scrolling and ending up with nothing to show for it.

Or look at the complex hour-and-a-half morning routine you want to add because it’s the hot new trend.

You put off doing the work you need to do to insert the morning routine and end up more anxious because of it.

The best way to land the opportunity you want is to be at your peak performance level.

And your peak isn’t coming from a weekend hangover or jamming your calendar with things that are taking you away from the work that needs to be done.

Subtract To Add.

It doesn’t need to be forever, just until you accomplish your mission and land that new job.

I have seen people land jobs in several days or weeks after we started working together.

Those people took the mission very seriously.

They took care of their body and mind and guarded them to ensure that if an opportunity arose, they could take advantage of it.

So the question is, what are the things in your life currently not serving you on your mission to land your next role?

Who are the people?

What are the actions?

What are the behaviors?

Do you have the courage to eliminate them from your life forever or at least for as long as it takes for you to land your next role?

If you’re unwilling to eliminate them, what does that say about how much you want what you’re going after?

OPEN ROLES
Who’s Hiring?

HaydenAI

• What They Do: HaydenAI has developed a platform that uses advanced technology to manage traffic autonomously, aiming to make city life better and safer. Their system, powered by artificial intelligence, can detect and understand traffic issues, helping cities become smarter and more efficient.

• Total Raised To Date: $82.60M

• Last Raise Date: October 18, 2023

• Recent Raise: $53.00M

• Series: B

• Number of Employees: 108

• Open Roles? Yes

• Pitchbook Success Probability: 98% Success via M&A

HqO

• What They Do: HqO developed a platform that helps people connect with places, experiences, and others in the professional world. Startups can use it to find products or services and link up with experts for advice and introductions, making it easier for users to network and find new business partners.

• Total Raised To Date: $156.84M

• Last Raise Date: October 18, 2023

• Recent Raise: $50.00M

• Series: D

• Number of Employees: 200

• Open Roles? Yes

• Pitchbook Success Probability: 98% Success via M&A

Procurify

• What They Do: Procurify offers a cloud-based platform that helps businesses manage and monitor their spending. It provides a clear view of where the money is going and ensures accountability across the organization. With features like centralized purchasing, custom approvals, and budget controls, businesses can make informed decisions and support their growth.

• Total Raised To Date: $82.78M

• Last Raise Date: October 17, 2023

• Recent Raise: $50.00M

• Series: C

• Number of Employees: 183

• Open Roles? Yes

• Pitchbook Success Probability: 98% Success via M&A

So there you have it, subtract to add.

Remove things that aren’t serving you in your journey toward your goal.

It doesn’t need to be forever.

Just remove it, see how you feel, monitor your productivity, then make the decision to add it back in.

Let’s become career champions together 🏆

Kyle