Your Career & Planting Seeds

Remember back when you were a kid, in elementary school, when you had to grow a plant for the first time?  Maybe it wasn't a plant for you, maybe it was a tree, but whatever it was you had to grow it.  Some of the things that planting a seed teaches us...

- For something to grow you have to care for, feed and nurture it.
- It takes time and you can't rush it.
- Small things have the potential to become big beautiful things.
- Some plants require more attention than others, some are more fragile than others.

So how come we forget these teachings when it comes to our careers?  Your career or profession is one of the most important foundations of your life; family, religion, charity, are some of the other foundations you should be focusing on.  Yet, I remember as I neared graduation from post secondary school I was told that I should expect to change jobs ten times in my career.  Why?

Here are some of the ways your career is like the seed...

It takes work.  If you don't work at it, the plant dies.  Not sure if this needs much explanation.  If you want success in your career then it's going to take a lot of hard work.

Constant replanting may give you a nice new pot but the plant may not survive.  In other words, constantly jumping ship to find a new job may allow you run away from a not-so-perfect situation, but you don't learn how to work through problems.  Replanting may not be completely a bad thing, especially if bigger and better opportunities present themselves to you.  Don't move sideways, always be moving up towards success.

No matter how much you want the plant to grow faster it comes in it's own time.  A successful career will come if you want it and work for it.  I can't tell you when or how or what, but there will be moments when you have to make decisions to go.  Go.  Just remember, be ready for that moment when it comes.  That moment could be tomorrow, next year or ten years from now and it won't come any faster no matter how hard you try.  Get really good at making yourself ready for the opportunity.

There might be other seeds growing in your shadows, give them some light.  Friends, subordinates, peers and coworkers are growing their own careers as best they can, you should be supportive and positive in their quest success.  Whatever you want, give it away.

Inside a tiny seed there is the potential for a mighty oak.  You have the potential to be whatever you want and don't forget it.  Be successful in your career or lament in the lack of success, your choice.