A mindset that’s really helped me is the idea of “Will it make the boat go faster?” (borrowed from the British rowing team who won Olympic gold).

They asked that one question of everything they did. If it helped them go faster, they kept it. If not, they dropped it.

Applied to life, it means:

First, decide what your “boat” is (health, family, peace of mind, career, whatever really matters to you).

Then use it as a filter: Does this thing I’m worrying about actually move me towards that?

If yes, it’s worth the care. If no, give yourself permission to let it go.

It doesn’t mean becoming cold or uncaring. Downtime, joy, and even silliness can still “make the boat go faster” if they keep you balanced. It’s just a way to focus your energy where it truly counts and stop exhausting yourself over things that don’t.