The weather is awful. I’ve lived in the UK all my life and I should be used to the cold by now but my dna needs that good sunlight.

Like most people, I love a good holiday. I love the feeling of the sun kissing my skin. There’s nothing like it. One thing I’ve realised on my travels to different paradises is that some

of the fruit they possess are not able

to grow on English soil. We are lucky enough to have some fruits exported here but some unfortunately not. It’s sad really but it is a fact of life at the same time. One we can certainly learn from. Certain things cannot grow in certain environments.

I have realised that you can try and manufacture the finished product of someone else’s life, family, brand, leadership, lifestyle etc, but unless you have their mindset, attitude and right environment you won’t see the same fruit/product. I remember trying to grow an orange tree once when I was younger in my back garden. I got really excited, I had the orange seeds and I made sure the soil in my garden was ready. I pulled out any weeds that were around and I even bought some top of the range compost (got my dad to). I planted my seeds and watered them everyday. Sunlight was good as it was summer so everything was in my favour, except the environment. The elements needed for growth were not right as the environment was not conducive for the growth of my oranges. Thinking about that story again has me asking myself some questions, and as your reading this maybe you need to ask yourself these questions too.

Is what I’m trying to build or grow in my life not growing because it doesn’t have the right environment? Environment is an incredibly interesting thing, because what doesn’t work for an orange in one environment works for something else in the same environment.

Not every human beings potential (seed) is conducive to the same environments. Some of us need big spaces to grow, some of us need small spaces. Some of us thrive in the public eye, some of us need obscurity. Some of us are stage people, and some of us are behind the scenes. Some of us need to be shouted at and some of us need to be spoken to. Some of us need quality time and some of us need physical touch. We are all different and need different things to grow. The potential of growth in a seed is never found in just the seed. It’s found in the environment it is placed to grow. This is why some people have huge potential and never realise it because they are loyal to a comfortable environment when they need a stretching environment. What kind of environment does your life need? What kind of environment does your leadership need?

What kind of environment does your mindset need? Don’t be loyal to an environment that isn’t loyal to your potential.

The cemetery is the scariest but most potential filled place on the planet. It’s not scary because of death and all those connotations. It is scary because so many people there never fulfilled their potential. It’s scary because I can live my life in soil that looks good and feels good, and is good. But the environment isn’t conducive for me to fulfil my potential. I have met so many good people that have given their lives to environments hoping that it can change when the environment is right the way it is, just not for their growth. Maybe the environment you’re in is frustrating because you are not supposed to be there. With 7.8 billion people on the earth, and everyone being different I am so happy not everyone wants to live in the same country. Now that would be awkward to say the least. People of different cultures and creeds live in different spaces. Some built for the environments they placed themselves in and some not. What is great though is we all have the awareness to know where we want to be and where we want to live. Maybe today you have the awareness but you don’t have the confidence or faith to leave the environment that is stifling your growth. Maybe your stuck and can’t get out of the same cycle you have been in for years. Here are few pointers that may help.

1. Change is part of your destiny. If this version of you is not perfect, then you have to keep evolving.

2. Comfort is containment. Comfort and fear of the unknown will keep you in the boat and not allow you to experience the miracle of walking on water.

3. The best is always ahead. Ahead is not where you are, it’s a different place and space. To experience the best, you have to move forward.

4. The thought of it is worse than the reality.

Change of your environment does not always mean location, sometimes it’s friendships, work, or even mindset. The reality is, we know when an environment isn’t helpful for us to grow. These faith/risk steps are steps that determine whether or not we are able to navigate through the loss of motivation from Jan 1st when we said new year new me or whatever our goals or resolutions were.

Love, peace and chicken wings

MD