My cousin thinks I’m a witch

My cousin Carol thinks I'm a witch.

No, it's not because I wear a lot of black (although I really do).

And no, I don't ride a broomstick (you know I rock a minivan).

So why is she convinced I’m a witch?

It’s my packing skills.

You see, whether I'm traveling for one day or three weeks, I always use the same carry-on suitcase.?

One suitcase.?

That's it.?

No checked bags, no extra totes, no "but what if I need this random thing I haven't used in 3 years" bags.

If it doesn't fit in my carry-on, it doesn't need to go.?

Period.

Carol on the other hand, packs like she is moving. Case in point. At our recent family reunion, I stroll up with my neat little carry-on, and Carol... comes in dragging TWO massive suitcases each the size of a coffin.?

When her mother remarked that I only had a carry on, Carol took one look at my roll-aboard and dryly replied, “"That’s because Robyn’s secretly a witch." (to be clear, she used a hard “W”)

I laughed and assured her that I hadn’t cast any spells. I've just learned to stick to a simple travel uniform of tried-and-true pieces that work together so that packing is effortless. With my uniform I never stress about what to bring and everything fits in my carry-on.

You see, we almost always overpack because we're afraid of not having what we need.

Think about it. How many times have you packed three "just in case it gets cold" sweaters for a beach vacation? Or thrown in four pairs of shoes because you "might" want options? Or packed two outfits per day only to end up wearing your favorite jeans and that one comfy sweatshirt on repeat? (Don't even get me started on all the workout clothes I've packed while knowing I had zero intention of hitting the hotel gym.)

We pack from a place of anxiety – what if there's an unexpected fancy dinner? What if it rains? What if I spill coffee on everything I'm wearing? But here's the reality: we usually end up wearing our favorite, tried-and-true pieces anyway.

As principals, we do the same thing. We've been conditioned to believe that we need to stuff our leadership "suitcase" with every program, initiative, and strategy we can find. We're terrified of not having the right tool when we need it.

But here's what happens – just like Carol's overpacked suitcases where half the clothes never saw the light of day (seriously, who needs 7 pairs of shoes for 5 days?), most of those programs and initiatives end up weighing us down without actually moving our schools forward.

What if there was a simpler way?

What if, instead of constantly adding more to our “leadership toolkit,” we focused on mastering a few essential, proven strategies that work every single time?

That's exactly what the Buildership? Model does for you.

?Think of it as your Buildership "capsule wardrobe" – a carefully curated set of strategies and systems that work together seamlessly, whether you're tackling a week-long challenge or a year-long transformation.

Inside Buildership University, we'll help you identify your essential Buildership pieces – the ones that will serve you in any situation. No more overloading yourself with every new program that comes along. No more stress about whether you have the right tools. Just clear, focused strategies that get results.

So my challenge to you this week is simply this: Stop overpacking your leadership journey. Start traveling light #LikeABuilder.