Action without intention is foolish. Intention without action is futile.
There are many paths up the mountain.
Are you climbing to reach the top? Or are you climbing to light a beacon?
Living amidst the wildness of the Rockies, we are enchanted and moved by our surroundings. We find that natural wisdom can be shared and understood through metaphors. Metaphors help us see ourselves more clearly. We realize our strengths as well as our weaknesses as they are mirrored in the natural world.
Up here, we are consistently humbled by the brutal honesty of the land itself. The mountain environment inspires and challenges us. We realize again and again the subtle nature of our egos. It’s nearly impossible not to- when faced with a mile walk home in four feet of snow, or the necessity of starting a fire to keep warm, or collecting rainwater to bathe, or getting cornered by a moose with your pants down…
Clarity of perspective allows for transparency.
We attempt to learn from the environment and follow its wisdom. It invites us to be more forthright and sincere, within ourselves, with others, and with the world.
Consider the wisdom of Aspen trees:
1. Aspens never grow alone.
Being in community forces us to look honestly at who we are, how we are engaging, and what our motivations are. Aspens are not so proud to think they can grow alone in such a severe and challenging environment. They grow with the help of others.
2. Aspens are SUPER resilient.
Aspens regenerate and strengthen in crisis. Challenges encourage growth. Rather than avoiding conflict, embrace it. It may seem devastating at first, but ultimately, being scorched to the ground is just what the doctor ordered.
3. Aspens collaborate.
Because they are one, they work together. Rather than competing, the massive root system shares nutrients. The system enables the group of trees to become strong and to evolve given the pressures of their environment.
Getting clear on the intentions behind actions creates cultures of integrity, creativity, and trust.
In a world of feigned sincerity, it is difficult to know who to invest in and who to believe. In business, this is particularly challenging. Without authentic relationships, efforts to grow together are difficult and stunted.
As a company, we have experienced how power struggles and avoidance wreck potential. Sincere attempts to create new approaches of working in the world can be squashed by the shadows that lie dormant and suppressed in the basement of ambiguity.
We continue to wonder how we might create genuine and healthy relationships that cultivate mutual growth and expansion, while strengthening the root system.
Clearly it is possible- just look to the aspen trees.