Photo by Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
To be a millennial in 2019 is to be seeped in the affirmation: “Stop at nothing in pursuit of your dreams.” Then the styled Instagram card ends there–maybe throw in a #pursueyourdreams–and we are left lost in life’s wilderness, gripping our dream without a path to get there. I’m sure I don’t need to convince you that I am someone who believes in pursuing dreams, yet this affirmation divorced from practical advice can wreak a lot of havoc in your life. We need to back this statement up with a whole lot more information and assistance so we equip each other with the know-how to make this very risky, very important venture happen.
Yet I am certain that the modern business tools, spreadsheets, growth charts, marketing data will only go so far to help us create a different sort of business. One that believes in an abundant world, the creative power of people, paying them fairly, investing in communities and living in harmony with nature. If those tools were sufficient we would not be living in a world of serious environmental degradation and major inequities between the people who have more money than they can spend versus those who are feeling extreme scarcity and lack of opportunity.
In the past few weeks, with the start of spring, I have been thinking about the things that nature can teach me about the path to building my dream. Nature is very real, and very productive. Nature is very patient and very diligent. Nature is endlessly creative. An indefatigable problem-solver. Resilient.
I took a bit of inspiration last week from the concept of planting many seeds and seeing which ones comes up. A single dandelion plant can produce more than 2,000 seeds. With this sort of creative work, the odds are against any single opportunity, so your best bet is to plant a lot of seeds and let the strong ones take hold. And then sit back and marvel at what you have created with nature as the beautiful flowers unfold.
So when you get stuck today, tomorrow or the next day. Look out your window. Heck, live a little! GO OUTSIDE. And be inspired by nature.
Go, fight, win my friends.
Reid