Planting Seeds
Assuming you’re in the northern hemisphere, it’s hard to think about gardening right about now. With the Winter Solstice upon us, the days are the shortest of the year. In fact, in the continental U.S., we’ll dwindle to just nine hours and 32 minutes of daylight on December 22. In Barrow, Alaska, there won’t be a sunrise at all.
Still, in these darkest days, we find reason for optimism. We take a few steps back to reflect, consider and plan. We think about warmer days and planting seeds. And we take hopeful comfort in what they will bring.
The continual life cycle of a garden—preparing, planting, nurturing and reaping—is a wonderful, timeless metaphor for our businesses. They work exactly the same way.
During the next few weeks, many of us spend much-needed time away. We decompress and reconnect. Or maybe we steal a few moments of solitude in the midst of holiday madness to think about a new goal or an emerging opportunity. Or maybe we have the chance to finally see the past year as a finished verse rather than a work in progress. We begin to prepare.
Shortly after, it’s time to start planting seeds. In many ways, it’s a conscious acknowledgement that good things usually don’t happen immediately. And that faith, skill and confidence (and maybe even a little luck) are the non-quantifiable ingredients for a thriving garden.
So in the midst of these shorter days, as the year draws to a close, consider your business and the relationships that drive it. Think about your customers and their experiences. Step back and ponder about operational improvements or streamlined processes. Think about things a little outside of your comfort zone. In other words, think about what that garden could look like.
Now’
s the time. Plant some seeds.
Will you see meaningful results in a few weeks or months? Probably not. But soon, you might just see the germination of something that could transform your business.
From all of us at InMarket Success, our best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a thriving new year.
Fran Nahabedian
Kerry Mann
