Make room to develop strong roots

So, I told myself that if I was going to start a blog (and pay for a corny domain name and a web provider), that I was going to keep up with it. I made a promise to myself and others that I would maintain this project.

If you know me, you aren’t surprised that I have fallen short of this goal the past few weeks. I am notorious for putting myself last. I do things for other people before I do anything for myself. I run through a list of things I have to do before I even let myself think about the things I want to do. This is not new. I’ve been this way as long as I can remember. I have an art room full of art supplies for wonderful art projects I never seem to get to, because of all the other things I have to do.

I know I’m not alone. Pots and kettles, right?! If you are in a high-pressure job with hard and fast deadlines where details matter greatly and accuracy is paramount, you can probably relate. You know how to push things aside at a moment’s notice to handle the important matter at hand quickly, accurately, in a manner to best make the public, your supervisors and everyone else happy-ish. And, by the nature of the job, this comes at the sacrifice of the other projects you were working on at the time.

This spring, I planted some seeds in those starter cups. Giant sunflowers. I was so excited that I was actually being proactive about this. I put good soil in the cups. I pushed the little seeds into their new home. I watered them faithfully and let them soak up the sun. I gave them a solid foundation to become successful.

And they grew. Fast.

When it came time to plant them outside, they were healthy looking, green, and big. But they weren’t standing up on their own.

I’m no plant expert, but this is what I think happened. I gave these seeds a good foundation to start their journey. I gave them everything they needed to be successful. Everything except room for their roots to expand and grow, which is important because without strong roots these seedlings will grow the best they can, but they won’t be able to stand on their own and reach their full potential. Their base isn’t strong enough to support their ambition, their purpose.

So, what do these seedlings have to do with my lack of posting recently. Because I find I do this quite often in my life. I get all the necessary things together to be successful at something (remember the art room?), but I don’t give myself the time or resources to fully develop a strong foundation to let the project become successful - not if it is for myself. Sometimes, it’s because of outside forces, and sometimes, it’s because I get in my own way.

This can happen in your work environment as well. Whether you are starting a new project, taking on new responsibilities or even put in a position to lead or supervise others, it is crucial you not only build a strong foundation for success but also make sure you adapt that foundation to support the growth you want to see in order to reach the full potential or goal of the project or initiative.

Had I supported those seedlings by providing them a larger foundation better suited for their growth, they would have been able to stand on their own. The same is true for people. Give people the tools and information they need to start strong, but then make sure you help broaden their foundation when needed so they can continue to stand on their own and reach their potential.

I haven’t given up on the seedlings. They are now outside, in the sun, in good soil, with lots of room for their roots to grow. Hopefully, they will soon be able to stand on their own.