How to Truly Grow In Life: The Seed

We all want to be the main character in the movie. The high school hero, NFL hall of Famer, or a world-renowned actor. We all crave success, achievements, attention, and recognition. There is nothing wrong with having these desires because it's biologically embedded within us. Trust me I would love to be "that" guy. These desires can be attained, but do we have the willpower to take action? Do we have the power to accept? We all want to sprout and grow to achieve our true potential, reach our goals, and conquer life but what if the story we want is not the story for us? What if our story takes a detour, what if our story has many more giants and challenges than others? This is the side that no one wants to hear or recognize. To grow into your best self, it's a necessity to learn and understand yourself. This is the untold story of unlocking your growth and planting your seed.

UNDERSTAND WHO YOU ARE: KNOW YOUR SEED

To get a great grasp on this concept I'm trying to preach, let's think of a plant. Of course, we know that the key components for a plant to grow in soil, water, and sunlight. Although these elements are essential, let's take a more detailed look into what it takes to make a plant grow. When a fresh seed is released into the soil, the first thing it needs to do is die. Now I'm not telling you to die, that would be anti-climactic, but what I am saying is that the seed understands that it isn't in its usual state anymore. The seed is different from the rest, unique in its nature, and needs to die to begin a new life, you see the seed realizes if it wants to grow and fulfill its purpose or what it is created to do, it can't stay in its same state. It must separate from the others and focus on its purpose. As we look around, we are all surrounded by different people. Whether it's in the workplace, on a sports team, or even in a classroom, we become accustomed to other people and create a comfortable habitat for ourselves. We view other people and constantly compare ourselves to others, creating disapproval and dissatisfaction within ourselves. We try to align ourselves to match what other people have then truly develop ourselves and unlock the unique and untapped potential that each one of us has. To grow, you have to recognize that you are not like everyone else. Your story isn't like everyone else. Once you grasp that understanding, you'll begin to develop. You will become more willing to accept and embrace who you are. Instead of comparing yourself, start trying to find yourself and you will notice that your roots will start to grow.

STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO SOMEONE ELSE: FIND GOOD SOIL

Envy is the sworn enemy of growth. Nothing purposeful or beneficial sprouts from jealousy. Think about the last time you have been jealous of someone or something. Did that situation change you to become a better person? Did it plant seeds for you to grow? Did it clarify your purpose and your journey? Most likely it did not but it did cause different effects that stunt your growth. Just maybe it created low self-confidence, a feeling of unaccomplishment, and or the need to constantly find validation. This is the definition of living in the shadows. Always changing your goals and assets to align with someone else's accomplishments. Instead of feeding your energy, mind, and body to someone else, use that same energy in yourself. Invest in yourself, that will always be the greatest investment in your lifetime. Is this going to be difficult, oh one thousand percent, but pressure creates diamonds. Why follow a life when you can lead your own life? Planting yourself where there are already plants will cause you to wither and fail. Plant yourself in good soil so you will be fruitful.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: FEED THE SEED

Now, this sounds extremely cliche and scripted, but do you believe in yourself? Most people will say yeah but their actions do not align with their beliefs. The problem is that we believe in ourselves conditionally. We believe in ourselves when the situation is not that difficult or seems achievable. There is a big difference between setting realistic goals and settling for minor victories. The problem with this is that we are restricting our seed from moving forward. We don't nourish it as we should, we don't give it enough sunlight, and we don't feed it properly. We should care about ourselves, hone in on our unique abilities, and take care of our spirit, mind, and body. We need to shed light on our abilities. Recognize yourself and showcase yourself to the world and most importantly to yourself. Lastly, we should feed our talents. Recognize what you have and feed into it accordingly. Whether it's practice, studying, researching, showcasing, talking, or drawing; take time to feed into your gift for it to grow no matter how big or small. After taking that time to dive deep within yourself, you will not only believe in yourself in certain moments but believe unconditionally.

GROWTH

The final step is to flourish like you never imagined. It takes patience and temperance to grow, but when the time comes everything will be worth it. These steps will be hard and some will take longer than others. Storms will come and go in your life, and there will be dry seasons and even floods but the one thing you must do is to keep believing in yourself, walk in your purpose, and stay consistent; all things will turn out for your good. So start now. Don't continue to try to grow in the tarnished ground. Grow and be happy!