When to keep or ditch
your traditions

Traditions runs deep. It adds value. Tradition can also be a guide. Tradition may also be holding you and your business’s performance back from excelling.

Every Spring – around St. Patrick’s Day, my husband and I take our first Harley Ride around a local lake – Lake Geneva, in Southern Wisconsin. At first this may not sound impressive, but I assure you it is! Why? Some years the temperature is just above freezing – with the windchill from the breeze as we ride, it is bone chilling.

Other years it’s warmer and the sun is out. Regardless of the temperature, Lake Geneva is a glacial lake, which means it is very deep and cold. This also means every year when we take our first Spring Ride, just about the whole lake is still frozen over.

This year we had to break our 10 year tradition – there was sleet and ice showing on the map. No-go! We sulked.

Then we decided to still keep the tradition of our First Ride. We decided to adapt and go in another direction where there was no precipitation. It was still a cold ride, but it was a ride!

Using traditions as a guide

Humans enjoy traditions. It helps us feel connected to something bigger than our individual selves. 

• Our First Ride? We are in the season of Harley Riding – time to enjoy being outdoors and appreciating nature.
• Spring Cleaning? Removing the old, preparing your home and/or workspace for the season of fresh beginnings. 
• Independence Day? Could Americans do without grilling outside and fireworks?
• The Holidays? Home for the Holidays – it’s a saying now. Why? It’s a tradition for loved ones to gather together.

Clearly, tradition usually adds value to our lives. It helps us learn how to behave at a certain time. It can be like mile markers on the highway of life. We know right where we are at a particular moment and time.

Should you ever ditch traditions?

Yes! Ditch it if it no longer serves you or your group. I’m not talking about the “I don’t feel like it”. I’m referencing the point when there isn’t any value in the tradition.

When the tradition is no longer purpose-driven and the purpose isn’t beneficial – ditch it. When it isn’t uplifting or inspiring – ditch it.

“Ditch it” may be jolting you right now. That’s good! This means you’re ready to look at your traditions objectively.

In the past several years I’ve ditched some traditions – even ones I enjoyed, but it was time to release them. Curious what I learned? Other cool things appeared because I created room for them. 

Is there value in adapting your traditions?

There may be. I shared with you how we thought we needed to abandon our tradition for a year due to inclement weather. Instead we found a way to adapt. Would something like this work for you?

Traditions are everywhere in your business. When you file your taxes, when and how you choose to celebrate successes, or how you welcome a new customer. These are all traditions you have established. Are they a process and/or project? Yes! That you have repeated over and over.

Here’s a great list of ideas of business traditions you may already have activated.

Right now it sounds like traditions and habits are similar. If you have consistent habits you are creating rituals or traditions. Cool, isn’t it?

Typically, when we think tradition, we focus on things more unique than what you do with your daily routine.

Brilliant Question for You and Your Traditions:
Review your traditions. Which ones should you continue, ditch, or adapt?

Don’t show up doing the same-old-same-old because it’s tradition. Act with purpose. You’ll be glad you adjusted Your Life’s Traditions and Your Business’s Traditions to add value and inspiration to this year. 

Feel free to share a tradition you would like to create, ditch, or adapt. Let’s see how we can create better outcomes through being more mindful with our time and actions.

THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS!