Not every good idea is meant to grow in the season it is first planted.
Recently, I took some time to read back through personal notes from the past 18 months. As I reviewed them, I noticed a pattern. There were plenty of interests, ideas, and intentions that surfaced along the way. At the time, many of them felt like they were immediately relevant, and ready to grow.
In my notes I found conversations with friends about financial investments, ideas about where to go on vacation, new exercise routines, books to read, shows to watch, projects to begin, and habits to build.
Some of those things took root. Others did not.
You may have made a similar realization while going through an old notebook, and you may have, like me, been tempted to fixate on all the things you didn’t do. Another unfinished idea. Another interest that faded. Another thing I started but did not carry forward. But I am learning to see it differently.
Sometimes an unactualized idea is not a failure. Sometimes it is a seed.
The seed may be perfect, but that does not mean the season is right. It may need different timing, different conditions, different attention, or a different version of us before it can become what it is meant to become.
This matters a great deal for leaders, who are constantly exposed to new ideas, tools, strategies, books, conversations, and possibilities. We attend trainings, listen to podcasts, read articles, meet with people, and come away thinking, “That could be important.” And sometimes it is. But not every idea can become a priority right away.
Part of mature leadership is learning to discern the difference between what is interesting, what is important, and what is essential in this season. Looking back over the past year and a half, I can see ideas that grew and ideas that faded. The ones that faded were not necessarily bad ideas. They simply were not essential for me at that time. That reflection gives me a little more grace, as well as renewed curiosity.
As I think about the concepts, conversations, and learnings I’ve assembled over the past 18 months, I am paying attention to what may be taking root now. I am especially mindful of my “word for the year” and open to where it may lead me in the months ahead.
For leaders, reflection is not just about evaluating what we accomplished. It is also about noticing what was planted. What ideas keep resurfacing? What conversations still have energy around them? What habits are asking for renewed attention? What opportunities may have been premature before but are timely now?
And what needs to be released without shame?
Leadership growth requires both intention and grace. We need the discipline to act on what matters, but also the humility to recognize that not everything grows on our preferred timeline.
So take time this week to look back. Notice what has grown. Appreciate where you are. Release what did not take root. And look forward with renewed grace for the season you are in.
The seeds were not wasted. They are simply waiting for the right season.
If you’re interested in approaching growth with grace and curiosity, send me an email at [email protected]. I’d be happy to help.
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