Listen to the audio version of this post here.
Choosing our words carefully
We have so many ways to think about our business or our career. The language we use is important as we think, and certainly when we talk or write. And when it comes to the words we choose, metaphors probably play a role in the process.
You might be launching a new project, for instance. Or building a team, or putting on a full court press. Or maybe you’re navigating a minefield at the office.
Our work metaphors often have their roots in travel or construction or sports. And military metaphors show up all the time in our conversations or writing about our work.
Also, we often speak about what we do for a living using language about farming.
Metaphors reveal how we frame our beliefs and decisions, how we organize our ideas about the world around us.
Knowing how powerful metaphors can be, I remember thinking a while back the farming metaphors weren’t the most useful for me. Yes, farmers do some seriously hard work. But I wanted more movement. You know, driving my business forward. Maybe even skyrocketing to success.
I couldn’t afford to plant seeds and just wait for them to bear fruit. The farming metaphors just didn’t cut it for me.
I needed to be more active. Build my business, move the ball forward, navigate a challenging environment.
And, perhaps like you, I’ve done all that, with varying degrees of success.
Turns out, like it or not, I am also a farmer.
All along, I was planting seeds without even thinking about it.
An email appeared in my inbox the other day. “I don’t know if you remember me,” it said, “But you helped me about 7 years ago …”
She was running for office in her professional association when we did some Presence and Presentation coaching. And not only did she get elected, but ever since then, she wrote, she’s been sharing my “sage advice with young budding professionals!”
Also, she’s introducing me to someone who needs my help now.
Then there was the LinkedIn message from a woman looking for some speech coaching. She got my name from someone I’d gotten to know at a Chamber of Commerce. I used to speak there every January, six, seven, eight years ago.
After all this time, a woman I’d enjoyed talking with back then recommended me for a coaching opportunity now.
And a gentleman approached me at the end of a workshop last week. He’s heard me speak three or four times. This time, he wanted to talk with me about coaching—he’d like to improve his speaking skills.
Seeds! Seeds sprouting after just sitting there for years!
Now, some of those seeds will grow into real business opportunities. In fact, one already has. And the others, we’ll see …
The lesson for me is that I’ve been scattering seeds without even thinking about it. Imagine what might happen if I were more intentional about planting the seeds … and then maybe even nurturing them to help them grow.
Yes. I’m also thinking about you being more intentional about planting and nurturing your own seeds. That’s why it seemed worth sharing this story with you.
Can we agree to do the groundwork? Maybe get a jump-start? Maybe even throw a hail Mary pass?
And yes, while we’re at it, we ought to plant some seeds even though it may take them a long time to grow.
Let me know how it goes for you, will you? Leave a comment below.
