Getting a Bigger Rucksack is Not the Answer

Earlier this week, I read a post from a retired Army general on LinkedIn that contains so much truth. Lieutenant General (Retired) Jeffrey Buchanan wrote the following: 

“Get a bigger rucksack?

A client (and old Army buddy) and I were having a discussion last week about priorities. He said that the problem with some folks who have a full ruck sack is that they just try to get a bigger one. When you then put more stuff in your ruck sack, it tires you out, weighs you down, and you move even slower.  

When your ruck sack is full, don’t get a bigger one. Instead, learn to take some stuff out. When I retired, I had to learn how to say “no.” I had a lot of offers for work, and at least some of those were overseas. But I had been gone far too often and missed way too many important family events. The good news is that I am home a lot more than I used to be. The bad news is that I still occasionally struggle with balance.

When I do struggle, I try to remember what is (or should be) my priorities. I have a dear friend who once told me that his priorities were taking care of himself, his faith, his family, his friends, and (lastly) his work. It struck me as out-of-character that he put taking care of himself at the top of the list. My friend is one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met. When I asked him about it, he told me that he needs to take care of himself in order to be able to serve others.  

Is that the right list? It works for him and makes sense to me, but only you can sort out what your priorities are. I recommend that you do just that…and then have the courage and discipline to make decisions aligned with those priorities. Don’t get a bigger ruck sack. If you do, you will; slow down, lose agility, and your leadership will suffer. Good luck on your leadership journey!”

I’m sure that most people know what a rucksack (big backpack) is but just in case, it’s what the military uses to carry personal items, food, water, ammunition, and other supplies needed while conducting military operations. I carried 50-60 pounds rucksacks back in the day while walking (ruck marching, as we call it) for 25 miles, and it’s definitely not fun. I was pretty much combat ineffective at the end of that.

The photo below, shows a 173rd Airborne Brigade Soldier who jumped in Northern Iraq in 2003, illustrates what the general is saying. The photo was pretty famous in those days. 

Anysoldier.com Caren Firouz / Reuters

Adding more items to your rucksack isn’t something you want to do often. It becomes too heavy, making you ineffective. Sometimes, you need to remove items from your rucksack (or to-do list) to increase your chances of success and a better life. Prioritizing your life is the first step. 

40 thoughts on “Getting a Bigger Rucksack is Not the Answer”

  1. Love this analogy and once did travel with a rucksack and Lord of the Rings on top. Husband still travels with too many books. When I was teaching I used to advise new teachers to take care of themselves first or like the flight announcements – put your own mask on first. Then we can help others. Love your blog with some very reflective posts.

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    1. Thank you very much for reading, and I’m glad that you’re enjoying my posts. I really like interacting with fellow bloggers, so I look forward to reading more of your posts and continuing the dialogue.

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  3. Absolutely agree with this post, and such a good correlation! Sometimes when we have too much on our plate, it can be difficult to focus on what really matters 🙏 thanks for the reminder. 😊

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  4. This lesson is important for us all. In the current culture asking you to do more and more and more, saying no becomes a priority when your rucksack is just too full. Thanks for sharing, Ed.

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    1. Thank you for your comments; they are so accurate. We have a tendency to say YES a lot without actually analyzing the consequences of that simple decision. We overcommit, and then we get overwhelmed because we are doing way too much, which affects our personal lives. We need to learn how to say NO when it’s appropriate.

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  5. Thank you for this meaningful share, Edward. Reminded me Tim O’Brien’s book, The Things They Carried. Are you familiar? Personally, it made me laugh because I packed ultra-light for a recent trip which taught me how little I actually need.

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    1. You’re welcome, Michele. I’ve heard about him and the book, but I haven’t read it. You’re so right about packing light. With the right combination of clothes and shoes, you can do wonders and pack everything you need for short trips in a backpack or carry-on bag and avoid the hassle of checking baggage. Thank you for commenting and Happy Mother’s Day.

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  7. love the post and metaphor, Edward and I surely am looking for a smaller and smaller “rucksack” these days, Too much baggage makes for too much to manage.
    Yep, I agree with your friend. We can’t take care of others unless we take care of ourselves first. 💓

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