Last week we talked about time and consistency in our effort. I wanted to share this example of growing bamboo that teaches persistence and patience to help motivate you when you find yourself stuck in slow growth periods.

Bamboo seeds when planted are watered each day, and grow underground with an intricate root system. You continue to water it without seeing any result above the ground. Sometimes it seems like nothing is going to happen and it feels like a waste of time to keep watering the seed with no visible result. Then in time, when the bamboo plant is mature and the conditions are right, bamboo shoots up and grows out of the ground at an astonishing rate (sometimes growing a foot per day). Because of the foundation built underground the plant can sustain this quick growth upwards. This invisible growth is often happening in our lives as we are working hard, practicing, reading, and investing, but not seeing all of the immediate results we want.

If we shot up in the sky like the bamboo without the foundation to support it (overnight success), then we would not be able to manage it. Working hard over time to be great builds the skills we need to handle success when it comes time to grow rapidly, move up, and be called upon. You don’t always have the time to get ready once opportunities arrive, so you must stay ready. Use the story of the bamboo and laying a solid foundation to support future success in your life (of skill, integrity, reps) to motivate you as you grind to get better.

Sometimes we are working to be better at something, and our progress is slower than we would like. This feeling challenges our patience and persistence, and makes us wonder if we should keep trying so hard.

When building skill, the process is usually not on our time. Figuring out the right practice routine and then sticking to it is crucial, without letting the immediate results get in the way of that routine. When we aren’t getting better as fast as we want to, we must trust in time and consistency to pay off in the long run.

Doing the right skill building over and over, without letting slow results sway your motivation, is the key to becoming really really good. Put this to work in your life and lean into the consistent effort over time!

​#getbetter

Working to be better leaders in our lives is crucial to growth. Whether you are working on leading yourself better, or managing and leading others, look for ways to grow in your leadership. These are my four areas of focus for young leaders as they identify and carve out their leadership roles:

1: Good character - Do the right thing not matter what. Don’t let a difficult situation turn into a lapse of character. Integrity is like building a muscle, keep using it.
2: Confidence - Believe in yourself first. Don’t fear failure.
3: Positivity - Stay positive and look at the opportunity in every event.
4: Communication - Build trust with great communication skills. Listen to others at a high level.
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​#getbetter