Great Analogy

Excerpt from The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz:



"....Several years ago, the city of Orlando, Florida, planted a long line of trees along the highway that lead to our training center. The first time there was a storm with heavy winds, nearly every tree was blown down. The city dutifully sent workers to prop the trees back up. They secured them with baling wire and other external sources of support. It did no good. When the next storm came, the trees were blown other. A pattern that repeated itself numerous times over the next year.


It never seemed to occur to the folks in charge that if trees are to survive in a high-wind area, they must have a deeper root structure. It did occur to us that we were observing in nature a phenomenon that characterizes many of our own lives. Because we so often lack deep roots - firm beliefs and compelling values - we are easily buffeted by the prevailing winds. If we lack strong sense of purpose we cannot hold our ground when we are challenged by life's inevitable storms. Instead, we react defensively, blaming the storm or simply disengaging and ceasing to invest our energy."