Your environment determines your growth

About a year ago, I planted a few succulents. It’s a hobby I was dabbling in, hoping it would grow into an income stream. That has not happened yet but that’s a story for another day.

I had picked up random leaves and sprouts from a friend who had plenty and scattered these odds and ends on a bit of cleared earth to grow as I figured out where to plant them. Eventually I bought three sizeable decorative clay pots to transplant them into. However, the three pots were not enough for all my little plants, so I spray painted some old blue-band tubs to act as extra pots. By the time of the transplant, all the seedlings were about the same size, say 5-10cm in diameter. I set them in their new homes and left them to themselves. That’s the beauty of succulents; they are low maintenance.

Over time I discovered something interesting. Although all the plants had got the same soil mix, and were placed in the same area therefore receiving the same amount of rain and sun, the plants in the larger pots were soon twice, then thrice the size of the ones in the smaller plastic tubs. The size of the pots was determining the size of the plants.

Just like these succulents, our environment will determine the extent of our growth. There is only so far one can grow in a small restricted environment. JC Maxwell described his experience of this as being a medium sized fish in a very small pond. He realised he needed to leave that comfortable space where he was close to the top of the food chain and move to a larger pond where he was relatively smaller, with more space to grow.

Luckily for us, unlike the plants, we can change our environment when we realise it is limiting our growth in some way. Most times this calls for moving away from the comfortable and familiar into new spaces. It is uncomfortable and it is scary but in the end it pays off, allowing us to reach our fullest potential in a way we never would have in the smaller environment.