The Green Thumb Approach
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Is growing a business as simple as planting a seed? Building a business is not rocket science, it is 1st grade science! Here’s how to apply the “green thumb” approach to building your life or your business.
I was introduced to the “Green Thumb” approach to life and business when I was a kid. I was given a plastic cup, a handful of dirt, a bean seed and some water. With no knowledge of photosynthesis, the reproductive properties of the bean, soil to seed ratio or any of the details why. . . 30 six-year old kids, including myself, managed to GROW a bean! Can you imagine that?
What would the the results have been if my 1st grade class were given too many choices? Would a flower pot be better than a Styrofoam cup? Plastic or clay? Green, white or red? What kind of soil? Sand, silt, clay or loam? Hybrid seed or heirloom? Green bean, wax bean, pinto bean or maybe a lima bean? Rain water. . . tap water. . . Evian?
Imagine how quickly we would have lost interest, if we were bombarded with all these decisions. The FUN would quickly have faded. How many of us would have remained focused? How many of us would have just grown bored, distracted or simply quit? How many times have you bogged yourself down with the details, lost your focus and eventually quit? For me, more times than I would like to admit.
So, as first graders, how did we succeed with our experiment?
We simply planted the seed and waited. Soon the elements — seed and soil, water and sun– combined together and the seed began to grow. First a sprout, then a stem and and a leaf, and eventually a bean with more seeds in it. All we had to do was plant the seed and water it when it was needed. Nature did the rest.
The green thumb approach is about the basics . . . be it a bean or a business . . . focus on the basics and it will GROW. Put your tools together and do what you can do and let nature do the rest. You don’t have to worry about the details. You don’t need to understand how it all works. You just go to work and do your part and have faith in the process. The rest will fall into place.
How do you show your faith?
Plant the seed.
To Your Success!
Steve Scoresby
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