This month’s series of blog post is written by Dr. Sam Gichuki.
Learn to let go of things that are part of your history but not part of your desting – Anonymous
Give Up, To Go Up
“If you keep fighting for your point of view, without being willing to surrender you, you’ll end up destroying each other, and you won’t be able to build anything together.”
Those words from Dr. Caroline, Pastor David’s wife, pierced through the tension that filled the room after a difficult disagreement between my wife and me during premarital counseling. The issue wasn’t just what we were arguing about; it was how tightly we both clung to our perspectives, each unwilling to yield.That day, I began to understand a principle that continues to shape how I approach relationships, leadership, and personal growth: you have to give up to go up. Especially in times of transition.
High Yield Requires Hard Cuts
In farming, one of the most effective ways to increase a crop’s yield is pruning, removing branches that aren’t healthy or fruitful. These branches might not be dead, but they drain space, energy, and nutrients from the ones that are actually producing fruit.In the same way, to get the most out of our transitions, we must be willing to shed what’s not adding value. That might include unproductive habits, outdated mindsets, toxic loyalties, unhealed bitterness, or even the pride of past accomplishments. Not everything we’ve carried can come with us into our next season. Some things must be pruned. Not because they were never useful, but because they’re no longer helpful and don’t serve you in moving to the next level or season. They are extra weight. And make no mistake, pruning hurts. It can feel like loss, like cutting away part of yourself. But it’s also what makes room for new growth.
In both my personal life and professional journey, I’ve nailed down three major habits that, if not pruned early and guarded against later, become a breeding ground for other value-draining tendencies. These habits don’t just delay progress. They distort identity, discourage clarity, and derail momentum. Especially in times of transition, these three must be dealt with ruthlessly:
And make no mistake, pruning hurts. It can feel like loss, like cutting away part of yourself. But it’s also what makes room for new growth.
1. Pride
As a trainer at work, I’ve seen that prideful people often struggle the most with learning and adapting. Pride creates the illusion of knowing it all; it convinces you that you don’t need help, that you’re above others, or that past success guarantees future relevance. But transitions demand humility; the ability to learn, to listen, and to start again when necessary. Pride blinds us to the fact that every new season often requires a new posture. And when pride takes root, it blocks feedback, severs relationships, and kills growth. When people start experiencing the negative effect of their pride on their progress they start to give excuses because pride resists vulnerability and excuses protect the ego.
2. Excuses
One bad habit that I had to prune in the early stages of my marriage was excuses. Those close to me might be shocked to hear that, because I rarely verbalized them. But for me, excuses were mostly internal. I gave myself silent permission to avoid things I didn’t want to face or didn’t see as important. The problem was, I wasn’t alone. I was in a transition building a life with my wife. Often, excuses sound smart, even logical, but they’re just well-packaged delays. They keep you stuck, justify procrastination, and shield you from necessary responsibility. In transitions, excuses keep you looking backward instead of moving forward. They paralyze progress. Pruning excuses clears the way for action, learning, and real momentum. When pride bears its ugly fruit and excuses begin to choke progress, people often resort to blaming others for their failures.
3. Blame Games
If there’s one powerful thing you can do during a transition, it’s taking ownership of your decisions and actions. But a person who plays the blame game struggles to do that, because blame shifts the focus from what you can control to what others did or failed to do. But transition demands ownership. It requires the courage to say, “This is my responsibility, and I’m going to do something about it.” Growth begins the moment you own your role and commit to what’s next. Pruning blame builds resilience, fosters maturity, and helps you focus on the hard things that truly move you forward.
Final Thought: Every transition is an invitation to evaluate what’s essential. Pruning isn’t loss; it’s a strategic release. Whether it’s outdated routines, toxic relationships, limiting beliefs, or draining commitments, letting go makes room for healthy growth. So ask yourself: What do I need to release in this new season that’s taking up energy but yielding no return? Your next level may not require more effort; just less weight.
Keep on Keeping on.
Discover Your Treasure 