Dreams and Change
This little Japanese lacquered pot contains a seed that will grow into a tiny, beautiful red maple tree, but a miniature version - a tiny bonsai. I found this in a store last week in Kobe, Japan. And as I stood there in the store looking at it, I imagined its beauty and how much happiness it would bring to me in my home office every day.
The leaves of the red maple are so beautiful that even in Japan, where the four seasons are each so distinct and beautiful, the Japanese actually have a word for going out and admiring autumn leaves: “Momiji-gari” (literally “hunting for autumn leaves”). It’s a tradition so important that most Japanese consider it as breathtaking as viewing the Cherry Blossoms in Spring.
This little momiji tree reminds me that there are two kinds of change in this world: There is change we can’t control, like the change of the seasons. Then there is the change we can control. This is the change that will never happen unless we choose to make it happen. For this little momiji tree, it starts with planting the seed.
Yet so many people never plant the seed of the change they want so badly.
So many who desperately want change feel stuck. Or afraid. Or hopeless. So many associate change with pain. Maybe you’re already in pain. Change can lead to relief, but at what cost? This is by far the most common fear: Fear of the Unknown. And everywhere you look, even the greatest motivators in the world subtly reinforce the most common belief that change = pain. Even Tony Robbins said, “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.”
But does change really come with pain?
Change feels complicated, because change brings about more change. Everything in our lives is connected, so triggering change creates a chain reaction. When I plant the seed, now I need to water it. Am I watering it correctly? How much light is too much? What do I need to know that I don’t know? What if I spend weeks or months, or even years, and I accidentally kill the tree? (it takes about 3 years for a momiji seed to grow into a little tree, even just a few inches tall)
Taking one action leads to the next. It’s like a domino effect. And this is what matters that you should focus on: You cannot lose when you take the first step. Because by not taking the first step, you’re guaranteed to fail and destroy your dream.
Take the first step, fearlessly, and the dominos start to fall into each other. Your first action is the hardest, and after that you just need to follow through as each domino triggers the next. It’s hard to catch a wave, but once you do, the wave catches you and lets you ride.
Does this mean you should go out and quit your job on the spot? No. You still have work to do to line up the dominos before you start the chain reaction. That takes a little time to prepare, but when you start the dominos, they go fast.
This little momiji represents something so much bigger than just a beautiful little tree that will be by my side while I work. It represents that change takes time. That change = growth. And that it all starts with making a decision to begin the journey. In this little future tree’s case, it starts today when I plant the seed.
Neat fact: There is no such thing as a “bonsai” seed. The little seed in this pot can grow to any size. The same is true of your dreams and your life. It starts with vision, and then the work begins. Want to learn more and motivate each other? Follow me and let’s get the conversation started!
Are you thinking about change in your life? What kind of change? What is holding you back? I want to hear from you and hear your story.
