Change: What Do You Need to Eliminate?

This article is the thirty-second in a series about Change from Steve Roesler.

Walt Disney , the legendary film maker, was quite ruthless in editing anything that got in the way of a story's pacing.

Ward Kimball, an animator for Snow White, recalled working 240 days on a 4-1/2 minute sequence in which the dwarfs made soup for Snow White and almost destroyed the kitchen in the process. Disney thought it was really funny, but decided the scene stopped the flow of the picture.

So out it went.

When the film of your life is shown, will it be as great as it might be?

A lot will depend on the number of 'good' things eliminated in order to make room for the great ones.

Wow. A lighter load on the way to a more fulfilling destination.

Are you willing to consider that kind of a change?

Comments

[Joe Raasch]

Hi Steve,

I was just reading something similar over on Hugh's Gaping Void site about having to kill dreams. Essentially, to get to some dreams, we have to let others go and be OK with that!

Great view - to be think that what we leave out will be as important as what we keep...

[Steve Roesler]

Joe, isn't it fascinating that one of the key elements in personal satisfaction is actually a matter of reduction rather than addition?

It's a tough battle to fight in a world where the message is "More,"More,"...

[Jim Stroup]

Steve,

What a great way to illustrate the key point of business: it's about accomplishing the mission. The means may be labors of love - real works of art - but if they don't advance you toward accomplishing your end, they have to go.

This is a terrific metaphor for the issue - which is a real and pervasive problem; never heard it described this way - thanks!

[Robyn]

Steve, no matter what we do, with words, with ideas or even the clutter on our desks, the key is to streamline.

Your post is a great reminder! Thanks for such a great series.

[peter vajda]

piquing my curiosity...a couple of thoughts, Steve:

I wonder how much of some folks' lives were left on the cutting room floor as a result of expediency, efficiency, someone's else's vision, direction and cueing. Am I the director of my own film? Really? Do I need redirection and redirecting in some area(s) of my film/life right here, right now?

Too, which were the scenes in black and white that could have used color and where was I afraid to add color..and why? Am I still afraid to add color to my life? And, vice-versa...too much color where B&W is needed?

Are my glory days behind me or in front of me? Is even my future "in the can?"

[Steve Roesler]

Hello, Jim,

The more we consult and write, the more I see the connection between design and management.

It's related to your series, too. Socrates and the gang designed their approaches to learning and discovering truth in a very deliberate way that allowed them to discard those responses that didn't "make the cut".

Now we'll have to think of some spiffy Socratic-Disney article :-)

[Steve Roesler]

Robyn, you are wayyy to timely on this one: I'm here in the office attempting to streamline it's organization and work flow.

I have discovered clutter. There is much editing to be done...

[Steve Roesler]

Hi, Peter,

Ah, these are the editorial questions of life. Film is an interesting metaphor, no?

Who does the scripting, production, financing, directing, editing, and promotion? Which one holds sway over the other?

The questions are endless. Let's hope that in the effort to answer them all satisfactorily, we don't avoid stepping out and doing a little "Lights, Camera, Action!"

Always a balance...

[Mike Wagner]

Steve,

Thoughtful post and timely reminder. Thanks for getting our minds racing!

My thoughts turned to a passage in the Old Testament - "the more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?"

If we want to make meaning with our lives, our careers or our organizations we need to edit and "streamline".

Thankful for you and your insights!

Keep creating...a streamlined adventure,
Mike

[Steve Roesler]

Hi there, Mike,

Thanks for the encouragement.

The "mind racing" part is always a potential trap for me. Especially reading so many good writers here. The issues isn't about "good" stuff; it seems to become "how do you synthesize to make it great?"

We humans lean toward greatness as an additive process. Yet we marvel at the great sculptors who created beauty as a result of chipping away in just the right place.

Keep writing...

[Nettie Hartsock]

Steve,

Great post. I need to get rid of everything on my desk and all the books on my bookshelves and have a clean space with which to create for awhile.

I'm even finding if you just take your laptop outside and sit in the sun it provides a clearing of sorts to help your ideas come through. Reducing my time spent on email and the Internet has also surprisingly increased my ability to tap into bigger and better ideas and options for life.

Nettie

[Steve Roesler]

Nettie, it sounds as if we occupy the same office :-)

This post came, in great part, from my own struggle with eliminating the unnecessary rather than having conquered it victoriously. And now that the warmer weather is here, I'll probably go back to my usual routine: leave the desk and the books where they are and take the laptop out on the porch so I can work and watch the deer.

Thanks for the encouragement. . .