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Have you ever ordered that second XL-pizza because it was a “better value,” only to end up with cold leftovers and regret?

It might feel like a weird metaphor, but that’s exactly what many of us do in business.

We chase “more” because conventional wisdom says we should. More revenue. More employees. More services offered. More locations. More clients. More hours. 

There’s something almost primitive about our drive for more. It’s wired into our survival instincts - an evolutionary hangover from times when more really did mean better survival chances. More food. More shelter. More resources. 

But we’re not cave-dwellers anymore, and “more” isn’t always the answer it appears to be. 

I see this play out constantly in business. We’ve created a culture that celebrates growth at all costs. We applaud the entrepreneur who works 80-hour weeks… praise the startup that doubles its headcount every year… and idolize the companies that continually expand their offerings.

It’s seductive because “more” gives us something tangible to chase. It’s easier to measure more revenue than better quality of life. Easier to track more clients than deeper impact. Easier to count more employees than to explain improved work-life alignment.

Recently, I encountered a software company founder who exemplified this perfectly. His company had all the markers of success: rapid growth, expanding teams, multiple product lines, impressive revenue numbers…

But something felt off.

“I built this business to have freedom,” he shared. “Instead, I’ve created a machine that demands constant feeding.”

Looking deeper, we discovered some telling patterns. The vast majority of their support tickets came from just a handful of features…

Their most profitable clients were using their basic package…

Team burnout was highest in their fastest-growing division…

And perhaps most telling: their simplest product had the highest customer satisfaction.

The conventional playbook would say: Add more features! Hire more people! Launch more products!

Instead, we asked a different question: “What if less could actually be more?”

Over the next 6 months they made bold and unconventional moves. They discontinued their least-used features. They streamlined their product lineup. They focused on their core customer segment. Through natural attrition, they even reduced their team size.

The resulting transformation was remarkable:

• Profit margins increased by 40%

• Customer satisfaction scores hit all-time highs

• Employee retention improved dramatically

• The founder took his first real vacation in years!

But the most fascinating part? The psychological shift that occurred. Without the constant pressure to grow-grow-grow, the team found space to innovate. Breaking free of the endless chase for more, they discovered what “better” really meant for their business.

The lesson? Sometimes the path to growth isn’t about adding more - it’s about subtracting what doesn’t serve your true purpose.

This isn’t about business efficiency. It’s about intentional design and breaking free from the psychological traps we’ve set for ourselves.

The metrics that keep us running on the hamster wheel of “more.” The fear that if we’re not constantly growing, we’re failing.

What if your business could be smaller AND more profitable? What if you served fewer clients but created a bigger impact? What if you offered fewer services but delivered them exceptionally well?

Often, you’ll find that what you really need isn’t more - it’s better. Better systems. Better boundaries. Better focus. Better alignment with your purpose.

The truth is, every “yes” to more is a “no” to something else. A lot of something elses. More clients mean less attention to existing clients. More services means less expertise in each. More employees means less direct influence. 

More hours means less life. 

The most successful and fulfilled business owners I know aren’t playing the “more” game. They’re playing the “right” game. They don’t ask How can we get bigger? They’re asking How can we get better?

They’ve recognized that the drive for more is often a smokescreen for deeper needs:

• Validation

• Security

• Significance

But these needs aren’t actually met by endless expansion - they’re met by intentional design and purposeful choice.

So here’s my weekly challenge to you: Pick one area of your business where you’ve been chasing “more.” Ask yourself: What would “better” look like instead? What can you subtract to make that happen?

What deep-seated belief about growth might you need to challenge?

If you need some examples, reply to this email and I’ll send you a free PDF copy of my new book “The Solvable Problem®”. It includes 8 real-life case studies of successful business owners who traded in “more” for “better.” 

Here’s to your success and financial certainty.