In our careers, we talk a lot about building.
We build our knowledge and skills.
We build our resumes and portfolios.
We build our relationships and networks.
We build our personal brands and audiences.
The idea is one of expansion and accumulation. Being 1% better than you were yesterday. Going farther faster or reaching higher heights.
But life isn't always an upward trajectory, is it? Knowledge becomes outdated. Skills fall into disuse. Relationships drift apart. Your time in the spotlight ends. Nothing lasts forever.
There are two ways to look at this.
First, all things built require maintenance. Otherwise, your progress will come undone. If you stop working out, you'll lose muscle mass. If you stop practicing piano, you'll become rusty at it. If you stop investing in a friendship, you'll deplete the trust and goodwill. The same is true for your career. It takes intentional effort to sustain what you've built.
That said, not all things can - or even should - be maintained. Skills that become obsolete. Relationships that are one-sided. Habits that no longer serve their purposes. Some things are better left behind.
For many people, this is a more difficult lesson than the first. They're afraid of the unknown or attached to the sunk costs. But those fears are often misplaced. Those emotions usually delay the inevitable.
Moving forward requires an intentional decision. You must let go of one good thing to receive another. Prune one commitment to pursue a new one. Close one door to take a different path.
There is a season to build - and a season to pause, assess, and refocus what you're building.