That’s part of my journal entry from a few years back when I drew this picture. A little further down the page I wrote:
“Allow the seeds to grow – you cannot constantly pull up the roots and expect a mighty oak to thrive.”
Seems fitting as we approach the holidays and the end of the year…
It’s natural to take stock of what you’ve accomplished this year and what’s next.
My friend and ultra successful entrepreneur, Rick Sapio shared with me his own personal process. (Side note: Rick has founded more than 20 companies and personally spent time with 14 different billionaires. We bonded over a shared experience of getting “kicked off” Necker island our first year. Funny story that you can find in a very old blog post here.)
Rick’s end-of-year process is really powerful and I immediately sent it to my whole team after trying it myself. Download it here. It’s part of a unique strategic program for entrepreneurs called Business Finishing School.
My wife, Missy, and I spent the morning of the Winter Solstice reflecting on 2016 and sharing intentions for 2017. We’ve never done that and it really brought us closer together.
Doing this work brought out some interesting insights including my answer to the question that asked, “What else do you need to do or say to be complete with 2016?”
My answer, “Blog post about “waking up” with drawings.”
Huh?
I didn’t really understand what that meant until yesterday…
A little back-story is in order.
I took the afternoon off to play tourist in DC. My first stop was the Air & Space Museum. I love seeing Spaceship One on display there. This was the ship that won the $10 million dollar X-prize for a spaceship to go up into space twice in one week. This was the technology licensed to become Virgin Galactic so it has a special place in my heart.
Next, I walked down the road to the Botanical gardens to soak in some tropical air. After that I took a detour to the U.S. Capitol building. I had never actually toured there even though I live so close. Luckily I got into the very last group allowed in. I’ve really, really wanted to check out just one feature inside. Underneath the dome of the Capitol is a fresco painting entitled “The Apotheosis of George Washington”.
It’s epic.
Just standing there and taking in this beautiful piece of symbolic art is so powerful.
The guide gave me the official story about the painting but I think there is quite a bit more there from research I’ve seen. Anyway after leaving the Capitol I still had a little time before I was meeting my brother for a Caps game that night, so I looked for a spot to meditate and journal. (Yes, it might sound a little strange but I’ve committed to meditating 2x/day so that calls for some flexibility and sometimes being slightly out of my comfort zone.)
I found a little plot of grass beyond most of the tourists but where I could still see the top of the Capitol building with the statue of Columbia. I leaned up against a tree and after mediating realized I was actually under a White Oak tree.
Aha!
That little nudge prompted me to find this drawing in a previous journal and here we are…
When I found that page from several years back, I read through the entry and realized it was perfect for this time of year:
I’ll type it out here in case you can’t read all of my writing:
“Allow the seeds to grow – you cannot constantly pull up the roots and expect a mighty oak to thrive.
My seeds have been planted, watered and nourished. It’s now a time to allow them to continue blossoming.
Evolved Enterprise as an overlay across what we’re doing is a bloom that has significant potential. It’s the framework for how I catalyze and co-create a meaningful difference & change the way business is played.
Allowing joy, my full heart and full business mind to converge together.
Taking everything that works in marketing and psychology and multiplying by the impact potential without losing the FUN. That playfulness is my barometer for where I’m on track. You could be solving the world’s problems in a totally serious mood – or laughing like the Dalai Lama. I prefer laughter and a sense of a divine inner child. Creating new ideas that have a deeper soul & evolved enterprise essence is fun! All the pieces of the EcoVerse coming together should be and can be incredibly fun…on the journey & as it happens.”
Then here’s text that I wrote with my left hand. (Using your non-dominant hand helps open up another part of your brain.)
“Let the seeds you are planting grow! You are in a place of divine timing and intersection. You’ve already done the ‘work’, in your journal, in your mind, your relationship network, etc. The pins are stacked. Allow yourself to ask for and receive your full abundance of joy, creation and fulfillment.”
I found another more recent one that seemed to really speak to “waking up” — plus it had more drawings.
This one is more personal so I definitely felt a bit uneasy to share it.
However I decided that if I can help empower someone else or nudge them in some way, it’s worth it. And the bigger reason is I cannot shake this deep knowing of a seismic shift happening. I’ve felt it growing stronger as I’ve released Evolved Enterprise but even well before that.
See if this resonates with you:
Here’s the entry typed out:
“As I fully aligned my head (business side & creative side), my heart (impact), my voice (right speech), grounded foundation, gut, fun/lighthearted happy child and higher purpose = everything IS in alignment.
Head, heart higher purpose (and happy inner child) is good shorthand but it is so much more. And aligning your physical body, emotional body, mental body and spiritus body.
The chakras are a very good explanation of the subtle energy that falls into alignment for fully expressing our blueprinted destiny + dharma + truth. A state of grace [MC Yogi song “Grace” was actually playing at this moment]
And they really are subtle energies. The intuitions, the impulses of inspiration, enthusiasm, joy, insight & truth. When I shared my appreciation for the 2020 EcoVerse it was free flowing alignment of my higher purpose being fulfilled by the framework of the EcoVerse. I cried as I received the same MEN energy download on my 43rd birthday. Putting my full effortless effort – embrace my destiny of destiny of fulfilling this role to midwife and empower global visionaries to co-create the shift of the ages (Silver age). Not in an ego way but simply a blueprinted knowing in great service with immense byproducts I cannot even begin to imagine yet…”
[Written with my left hand (I call it my integrated hand)]
“Who are you to play smaller? Who does that serve? Not you, not the world. It’s a false humble. Your JOY is in full service…”
This last part was really huge for me. I wrote this out on my 43rd birthday with my left hand and it really stuck with me. It made it back into my journal again to remind me of this poignant message.
I pretty much always experience something profound writing with my non-dominant hand. I learned this technique from Bill Donius, author of Thought Revolution, when he shared the process with Maverick members. (Note: I have an entire process for journaling for entrepreneurs that I cover inside the Evolved Business Blueprint. It’s one of the modules for getting deep into the answers of a business that delivers your most meaningful work and creates an extraordinary profit in the process.)
Legendary Legacy is about stepping into your true voice. To connect your head (business smarts), with your heart and your higher purpose (without forgetting about the happy inner child too) 😉
The same thing that got you where you are now won’t necessarily get you to the next destination on your journey. The only way to grow is to continually express your deepest essence of your greatest gifts.
That’s why we’ve actually updated the 3 circles I always talk about. Here’s the original illustration that started so much of this journey a few years back:
Tada! The tree keeps showing up…
The dollar sign is replaced with the TREE symbol because at the core of everything we do is truly about growing yourself AND your business. The dollar sign was simply too limiting and one-sided. (Though one of our members did remind me money does grow on trees so we got you covered there too!) This is the DNA for everything we do and at the center of the marketplace of impactful entrepreneurs served.
At the Summit I also shared the BIG picture of how the pieces of the EcoVerse all tie together. Something I’ve been thinking about, journaling on and working through for a long time. (One of the topics I was talking about in the last journal entry.)
You can see the full 2020 Vision document here.
(I’ll be holding a special presentation at the beginning of the year to help you create your own Vision document and what it entails. Look out for those details.)
Hmm…seems pretty perfect with this drawing and journal entry. And if you read the 2020 EcoVerse Vision you see the symbolism of seeds, soils, suns and blooms are pretty prominent.
Let me know what your theme is in the comments. And leave a note about what you think about these journal entries and going behind the curtain with me.
If you like it, please share this with someone that could benefit from this for the coming year ahead.
Wow! Great insight seems we attract what we seek. Thank you for opening up and sharing with us.
It’s great to be part of your thought line. These are wonderful inspirational lines you have shared. I have personally not been in the habit of putting in a journal. But think it will form part of my 2017 mandate. Thank you