Grow Your Knowledge Grow Your Business

As some of you may already know from my past post, 10 Books to Inspire Your Next Direction in Life, I am a huge fan of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It was as I was rereading this book a second time recently that I questioned, "Why have I never thought to pick up any of his other books to stir up some philosophical thoughts on life?"

I went to my local library and checked out his book Brida, about a girl seeking knowledge. (I also highly recommend using your library as a resource in your own journey for knowledge. It’s free and sustainable, what better way to start learning something new?) With the seasons preparing to change for warmer weather, I felt it would be appropriate to share a concept that Brida describes on growth:

"In life, each person can take one of two attitudes: to build or to plant. The builders might take years over their tasks, but one day, they finish what they're doing. Then they find they're hemmed in by their own walls. Life loses its meaning when the building stops.

Then there are those who plant. They endure storms and all the many vicissitudes of the seasons, and they rarely rest. But, unlike a building, a garden never stops growing. And while it requires the gardener's constant attention, it also allows life for the gardener to be a great adventurer.

Gardeners always recognize one another, because they know that in the history of each plant lies the growth of the whole World."

After reading this passage from Brida, I now realize that I had been a builder throughout my ten-year career in finance. My goal was always to become an analyst on a trade floor and eventually, I became one at one of the world's largest financial firms. I had accomplished my goal, and I was surprised then that I found myself "hemmed in" by my own walls. Unfortunately, this job was nothing as I had anticipated either. I was stuck in the same routine every day learning nothing other than old company systems and policies to move me along. It seemed like a dead-end when it came to internal growth.

This was one of the reasons that led me to quit my job last summer to start my own business. I now realize that taking this step was the beginning of my transformation to becoming a planter. As a planter, I find myself constantly growing useful knowledge to take me to the next level. This type of learning will never stop. I refuse to let walls be built around me, when the international borders open back up you will see that I even mean this literally! I am "a great adventurer" and the possibilities are endless.

At Small Business Startup Solutions we are here to help other builders out there to become planters. We want to help you lead a career that you can always be growing from and that will give you the most purpose. Let us know if we can help you in your journey to grow your knowledge and apply it to your business. Schedule your free consultation.

Are you a builder or are you a planter?