This year, I decided to grow a pumpkin.
It was my first time. I had no idea if I’d plant it correctly, or if I’d even get more than lots of leaves but no fruit.
I did what most of us do when trying something new: I had expectations but was prepared for failure.
Weeks went by. Every day I watered it. Slowly, the plant grew….and grew….and grew. And eventually… a pumpkin which I harvested today!
What did growing a pumpkin teach me? Trying something new doesn’t guarantee a perfect outcome. What it guarantees is learning, adaptation, and unexpected rewards. Often, the result isn’t what we imagined, but that’s the point. Maybe it’s even better:)
In business and leadership, too, the temptation is to wait for the “perfect plan” or to avoid taking action where outcomes are uncertain. But real growth, personal, professional, and organisational, comes when we plant the seeds, nurture them, and stay curious and open to what emerges.
And of course now I get to experiment with what to cook with it! Any ideas?