Want new growth? Get your hands dirty!

This weekend, my family took to the front yard to do some spring cleaning. It didn’t start out that way! I was going to pot a few plants, and my son would cut the grass. Before we knew it, all four of us were working on various projects to make the yard look beautiful.

It was not what I signed up for.  And the fact is, we’re all dealing with a life that’s not quite what we signed up for right now.  Who thought that we’d ever have to plan so far in advance to order groceries, or don a mask to go to the local pharmacy?

On Saturday morning, I’d just completed a thorough at-home mani/pedi – and the last thing I wanted to do was to get dirt under my nails or mulch in my shoes! But the more we worked, the better it looked, and the more we saw what still needed to be done…and we wanted to do even more.

Isn’t that the way it is in our own lives, too? The more we dig deep into one area, the more we understand where we still have work to do.

I have a client who’s a talented executive. He runs a profitable business segment and built a strong team around him. As we’ve worked on his development over the last few months, he’s taken chances that he never would have in the past. A self-professed introvert, he’s reaching out to his colleagues in other divisions to get their insight, and to share his ideas. He’s taken the lead on cross-functional projects that are beyond the scope of his specific role, but are absolutely right for his market. He’s teeing up conversations that he wouldn’t have had 6 or 8 weeks ago. He’s sharing his creative – and sometimes risky – ideas to change the trajectory of the business, and is getting traction.

Now, that’s getting your hands dirty!

By taking small chances, and changing even one interaction in a week, he’s growing. He’s pushing himself, which is giving him the confidence to take on bigger challenges. In just six months, he’s achieved more than he initially planned for the year.

Another client is working through a particularly challenging situation with one of her key stakeholders. She respects and values this person, and wants to have a good working relationship. She’s also been hesitant to go toe to toe with the stakeholder. She was afraid to speak her truth, concerned that it could damage their partnership. Until recently. We mapped out the conversation and even did a brief role play. She was ready. She made the decision to go all-in with this conversation in order to move things forward. She was willing to forge through the dirt to get to a new level of growth in their working relationship.

A colleague of mine once said “if it doesn’t make you so scared that your stomach gets a little uneasy, then it’s probably not a big enough challenge”.  What’s your challenge right now? What’s in front of you that has you uneasy, and feels messy? What scares you?

That’s where you want to be spending your time and energy!

Right now, we have the luxury of time. Working from home does have its advantages, including no commute to work (a mixed blessing for those of us who use car time to transition…). Use this time to get clear: what is the biggest challenge you’re facing right now, and what’s one small step you can take to address that challenge? If just thinking about it fills you with trepidation, you’re on the right track.

Because here’s what’s going to happen: you’re going to take that one step – and then another – and another.  Pretty soon that seemingly insurmountable challenge is going to be right in front of you and completely tackle-able. Yes, it’ll get messy along the way. But, like the small plants we placed this weekend, you will create roots. You’ll reach out. You’ll grow.

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. The danger lies in refusing to face the fear, in not daring to come to grips with it. If you fail anywhere along the line it will take away your confidence. You must make yourself succeed every time. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” 

Timeless words from Eleanor Roosevelt. As relevant today as when published sixty years ago.

So go ahead – get your hands dirty. And take care of yourself right now, too. It’s OK if there’s a beautiful manicure hiding under that dirt.