“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Most of us try to improve by adding: another system, another hack, another line on the to-do list. It feels productive—until the noise starts drowning out the signal.
There’s a quieter path that few of us practice: progress by removing.
• Trimming a bloated schedule until only the essential meetings remain.
• Editing a plan until every sentence earns its place.
• Letting go of habits that no longer serve the person you’re becoming.
Subtraction isn’t laziness; it’s craftsmanship. It forces you to see what is truly valuable and to protect it. The less you carry, the more each choice stands out—and the more energy you free to pursue what matters.
Perfection, in this sense, isn’t a finish line. It’s the discipline of continually asking, “What can I release?” so that what remains grows sharper and more alive.
What is one thing—big or small—you could remove this week that would give the rest of your life more room to breathe?