How to Shed the Habits, Routines, and Commitments Holding You Back

Just as trees shed their leaves to conserve energy and prepare for new growth, this season invites you to do the same. Let go of habits, commitments, and thoughts that drain your momentum to make room for what truly drives your performance.

For high achievers, though, letting go can feel unnatural. You’re wired to accumulate—to take on more, strive for more, achieve more. But sometimes, progress isn’t about adding; it’s about subtracting.

Here are four key areas to consider shedding this season, with strategies to reclaim focus, energy, and impact.

Bad Habits

We often dismiss bad habits as “harmless quirks” until we realize they quietly undermine performance.

Maybe it’s procrastinating on critical tasks, juggling too many things at once, or stress-eating through busy days. These patterns drain energy, scatter focus, and limit results.

To break them, first look beyond the habit itself and identify the trigger and the reward. For example, when stress hits (the trigger), you grab a bag of chips (the habit) and feel a momentary sense of relief (the reward).

Next, replace the habit with one that provides a better reward. When stress strikes, a quick walk or a two-minute breathing exercise can provide the same sense of relief but in a much healthier way.

Lastly, track your progress. Whether you use a coach, journal, or app, remember: breaking a habit isn’t about willpower; it’s about designing systems that make the better choice effortless.

Unnecessary Obligations

Which commitments silently drain your energy? Meetings, networking events, or social obligations you keep saying “yes” to out of habit?

Audit your recurring obligations: do they align with your priorities and values? If not, delegate or remove them.

Then, protect your time: block focus hours, deep work sessions, and recovery periods on your calendar and honor them like any external obligation.

Being selectively busy creates space for high-impact work. Shedding low-value obligations is like pruning a tree: energy flows to what truly matters.

Limiting Beliefs

Limiting beliefs are the untrue assumptions you make about yourself or your work that quietly tank your performance. Examples include: “If I don’t do this myself, it won’t be done right” or “It has to be done this way because it’s always been done this way.”

These beliefs not only hold you back; they create stress and drain energy. Reframing them frees mental bandwidth, fosters creativity, and supports sustained high performance.

How to reframe them:

1. Name the belief and write it down.
2. Contrast it with reality—does delegating truly result in poor outcomes?
3. Replace it with an empowering belief: “Delegating lets me focus on high-impact work while helping others grow.”

Outdated Routines

Routines are powerful, but they shouldn’t be rigid. As your life and priorities evolve, so should the habits that structure your day.

Start by identifying routines that no longer serve you. Track how each impacts your energy, focus, and performance, positively or negatively.

Then, clarify what you want from your routine. Energy? Focus? Creativity? Write it down.

Finally, adjust your routine to achieve that outcome, tracking results as you go so you can fine-tune over time. Smart routines evolve with you, supporting sustained performance and growth.

How Coaching Helps You Shed Intentionally

Coaching supports you in letting go of the habits, obligations, limiting beliefs, and routines holding you back.

A coach can help you spot hidden energy drains, challenge outdated narratives, design systems aligned with your current goals and stay accountable to the routines and priorities that truly matter. With guidance, shedding becomes intentional, strategic, and sustainable, freeing your energy for high-impact work.

The Bottom Line

Shedding the unnecessary allows you to operate with clarity, focus, and energy. Your days feel lighter, your mind sharper, and your energy flows toward what truly moves the needle.

Ready to shed intentionally and perform at your best? Book your free coaching call today!