The tree on Little Barton Creek. Notice the upended roots.
The other day, while driving home from the gym, I noticed a large, newly-felled tree lying in Little Barton Creek. I pulled over and saw what knocked it down. We had some torrential rains and, as you can see in the photo, they wore away the soil from the roots and the could no longer support the weight of the tree.
Generally speaking, growth is a good thing. Whether you’re growing your business, your expertise, your relationships, or your goals, bigger is usually better. How strong is your foundation? Will it support the growth?
Growth can happen sometimes in spite of our efforts. We might get a great opportunity through a chance connection. Our business may grow as the result of favorable market conditions and little competition. We might get a sole-sourced contract that only our company has the capability to undertake. Good stuff.
But what happens when conditions change? Maybe you take your eye off what worked and get too comfortable. Maybe you quit your networking. Perhaps you stop delivering quality knowing your client or your company needs you more than you need them. That’s when the weight of your growth, minus the strength of your roots, will take you down.
When I looked at that tree, which I estimate to be several decades old, I saw another example of a common pattern. Sure the creek provided plentiful water and nutrients, but because the tree doesn’t move and the water does, it really was just a matter of time.
This week, take an honest hard look at what you’ve accomplished and what you’re now doing with that accomplishment. Realize that success is fleeting and only stays with you as long as you feed it. Don’t be that mighty tree that is taken down by running water. You have more control of that future than you think.