How are you, really?
Grounded in the dirt...it tells me the real state of things
Our main greenhouse is nearly ready for planting - it's truly exciting. We have added manure this year to amend the soil and bring even more nutrients to the already rich and fertile ground. It feels like such a blessing.
We discussed whether to till or rake it in. Tilling is a controversial practice because it breaks up the soils microbiome diminishing its potential - we decided to rake it in instead, minimal disruption and increasing the nutrients for a hopeful and rich harvest to come.
Assessing what’s really here - what’s really needed before making a major decision is the way of things on the farm. We must find the dirt truth to know what or how to close the gap with the current state and what we hope to come in a future state. We want to do the same for ourselves at work.
I’ve had several clients over the past few weeks talk about the pace of change with AI influencing our capabilities with such massive force. It’s exciting exhilarating even and some of my clients have moved back into the ‘startup grind - sleeping under their desk to ship new features and capabilities as fast as possible’. And they ask themselves what am I role modelling to my team - how do I demonstrate balance in life and work and still get the results we all want with the enthusiasm we’re eager to share.
Assessing what’s really here. How are you really?
The question I offered this leader is how are you really? Meaning what’s your level of mental clarity? your energy level? If you’re 10 out of 10 keep going if you drop to and 8 or 7, maybe you need a walk around the block, a quick set of burpees or jumping jacks to get your blood flowing…or another cup of coffee. Whatever it is to get back to a 10 is what you want to figure out. Then there’s also the notion of rest - if you’ve been going at it for weeks on end maybe a 4 day weekend or a full Saturday or Sunday off. Whatever it is that enables you to recharge.
On the farm this is the most intense time of the year, and I’ve added puppies to the mix and thankfully a highly skilled farm hand. We are all resting when we need and driving hard within the weather windows for the tasks at hand to get us ready for planting. In many ways it’s make or break - if I don’t prune the currants coming in and fertilize, their yield will be lower, there’s a time window for that - this year I may have missed that as I noticed on my walk through the garden this evening assessing all the tasks still to be done. I will try anyway and see how it goes. So much is make or break and so the drive to get shit done is real. As is the drive in this AI accelerated tech building world.
The leaders feel it - and I’m glad they are stopping to ask - how am I really and what do I need to get back to full on ready.
Restful play :D