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  • Time to Repot?

Time to Repot?

Weekly Thought – June 10, 2014

Fred once said he likes to think of his one-liners and visual descriptions as handles on ideas. Without a handle it is impossible to pass a hot pot from one place to another. He appreciated other thinkers who enabled others get their arms around helpful concepts. Peter Drucker influenced him greatly.

Thank you for supporting the legacy of Fred Smith, Sr. Your encouragement consistently brightens our hearts.

Time to Repot?

Peter Drucker’s power phrase, “repotting,” aptly describes the action of uprooting and continuing growth in another environment. It brilliantly captures the process of changing careers in the middle of life.

I am not a gardener, but Mary Alice loves to plan flowers. I noticed her moving a perfectly good plant from a perfectly good pot to a larger one. Ever curious, I asked her why she would spend the time and money to do that. “It has outgrown the old pot and needs more room for the roots to expand.” That is precisely what my friend Peter is saying.

When things are going great, we hesitate to change. But when things come to a standstill, it may be the best alternative. Your roots may need more room to grow.

Before repotting, take a personal inventory. Think about your gifts, talents, and satisfactions. Peter talks about young people who make the mistake of being driven by their craving for a luxury car, or a status lifestyle. They graduate, choosing whichever direction gives them the most money, the fastest. Taking this direction strictly for material gain will ultimately end in dissatisfaction. The lifestyle grabs and owns them. They hang on for dear life, heading down the wrong road at breakneck speed.    

Beware of work that is profitable, but unsatisfying. Money alone is not enough. My age gives me the privilege of preaching. Life is too precious to waste. Setting the wrong direction can be costly. The price tag on choosing only comfort and convenience may prove much too pricey. Considering the road’s end is important.

Perseverance isn’t for cowards. Packing up the personal effects in the office feels rotten; removing a wedding ring and starting over takes courage; sitting by the bedside of a dying family member is wrenching. Very few of us arbitrarily seek out drastic life changes. For most of us, change is forced because we hesitate or postpone until there is no other choice.
Genuine perseverance involves accepting the facts, analyzing the situation, outlining the alternatives, making a choice and stepping out.

This week think about: 1) How long has it been since I repotted? 2) What keeps me from taking my life to a bigger pot? 3) How true has the impact of change been in my life?

Words of Wisdom: “Your roots may need more room to grow.”

Wisdom from the Word: “The godly grow like a palm tree; they grow high like a cedar in Lebanon.” (Psalm 92:12 NET Bible)

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