The Tribune

By Michelle M Miller

Those in the ‘winners circle’ learn early on that real winners grow roots before branches.

Winning at this level is not about trying to impress others as much as it is about the courage to express who you are and where you stand.

There’s a big difference between knowing your roots and being rooted in what you know, especially when it comes to knowing who you are.

While many claim they want to win, they are unaware of the fact that real winning is the result of doing the work. If you don’t work at winning then you simply won’t win.

You must agree that your life is worth the work. By choosing to do the work, you validate who you are and fortify what you are standing on, before declaring what you are stand for.

Standing on your own foundation, prepares you to create your future with confidence. You learn to live from the inside out. The question of the day is – how are your rooted?

What keeps you grounded when the winds of change comes your way?

The inspiring lyrics in the song, ‘Roots before Branches’, is a wake-up call to ‘know yourself’.

It challenges you to get inside your life and go beyond small ideals. Your life is created with purpose, but you must grow roots before branches. Trees stand strong because they are rooted in rich, stabilising soil of life.

Really winning at life takes confidence, skills, and consistent effort. Again, it takes work. Growing roots before branches may seem difficult, but if you are willing to put in the tokens of time and effort you will succeed.

Do not allow yourself to fall into the delusion of so-called overnight success. There is no success without effort, no getting out more than what you actually put in. Life knows it all.

You cannot trick or dupe life. We must each pay the price for the prize we seek to achieve.

That price is the tokens of concerted time and effort. The habit of playing to win must give way to doing the work. You cannot win if you do not pay. You get out only what you put in.

Time to pause and take a long hard look at your life.

Are you contented, satisfied, productive? Are you happy with who you are and the way you are showing up in your life?

These thought provoking questions are to push you to think. Doing the work on the inside gives you clarity and confidence to change your mind and transform your life.

Just as a ship drifts aimlessly without an anchor, your life becomes meaningless without being rooted in something meaningful. Taking the time to reexamine your life is a gift you give to yourself. Your life improves only when you improve yourself.

The bottom line is you cannot build or grow anything without first building yourself. You must have roots before you can grow branches.

Leader to leader, make today the day that you commit to getting into the ‘winners circle’. Know who you are before trying to figure out who you want to be.

In so doing, you build the confidence to live the life you love.

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