What can you put in a bucket to make it weigh less?
That was the riddle that landed me a Panera gift card from a newsletter that I read that has a fun Brain Teaser section.
And the only reason I won was because I had heard this riddle before and thought it was so good there was no way I’d ever forget it.
Now, I’ve received many gift cards over the years, but this was the first gift card I’d ever won in my life, and trust me, I had been trying for months.
The Bucket
Every month I tried and lost, or someone else beat me to the answer first. Sure, I could’ve Googled it, but where’s the fun in that? I looked at it as a small break from the work that usually fills my day, and a chance to stretch my brain in a different way.
But let’s talk about the bucket for a minute.
Why would I want to carry a heavy bucket around all day anyway? Especially if it’s not mine to hold? That’s just ludicrous.
When I started thinking about what this riddle really meant, I became convinced the person who created it must have been a strategic business owner.
Sadly, the original author is unknown. Yes, I looked it up. I wanted to see if they looked as clever as their riddle, or if we happened to share the same birthday or something like that. (Sometimes I seek a little validation.)
So, the answer is:
A hole.
And the reason I thought this mystery person might’ve understood business is because the only way to grow… is to let go.
Hole = Letting Go
For many of us solo professionals and growing business owners, the bucket can feel relatable.
It’s the belief that we have to do everything yourself in order for it to be done right.
We often think growth means adding more services or responsibility.
But it may really just mean that we need to create a hole.
And that can look like a lot of things like:
- Delegating tasks that drain our energy
- Letting go of control over every small detail
- Removing unnecessary systems
Because if we want to grow, we need to carry less.
It’s giving ourselves permission to release what no longer serves us.
If our buckets keep getting fuller and fuller, eventually there’s no room left for movement, flow, or growth.
And a business with no room for movement eventually becomes too heavy to carry.
Final Thoughts
Sometimes we spend so much time trying to become faster or more productive that we forget to ask:
What am I carrying that no longer belongs in my bucket?
Well, Ironically, what almost became too heavy for me to carry were the two giant orange scones and plain bagel I purchased with my Panera gift card.
The orange scones were recommended by Arlene, who you’ll hear more about in my Community Section.
So let’s start making room for growth in our business, and I’ll make room in my belly for more orange scones because I still have $10 left on my gift card.
Shamayne Brown is a virtual assistant and the founder of Camp Virtual Assistance.
She works with busy executives and solo professionals who are ready to invest in their business and need the support that she offers.
She specializes in creating email newsletters as well as other admin and creative design tasks.
Click here to connect on LinkedIn.
Click here to set up a discovery call.
