End of the Year Business Wisdom – Roots & Wings

On the walls of my exercise room are motivational posters with inspirational quotes. One of the posters is a photo of two parents and two sons standing on a mountain holding hands. The quote reads “Direction: There are two important gifts we give our children, one of these are roots and the other is wings.” Having spent the last six months on college visits with my youngest son realizing this time next year he won’t be here made the particular statement more meaningful to me today. It is time to let him go, time to let him fly. It was one of those happy/sad moments a parent experiences.

As I ran this morning looking at the poster I realized the “Direction” quote has meaning for women entrepreneurs as another business year ends. In order to constantly direct our businesses and ourselves as leaders to higher levels of success in a new year, we must be rooted in our past successes but willing to fly to take new chances.  When we stand on the precipice of an “entrepreneurial mountain” we’ve just climbed, we must bask in the accomplishment. But sooner than later, we have to find another mountain to climb. We can’t stay on top forever. We have to tackle another milestone.

Safe feels good. Safe feels comfortable. Safe feels familiar. Jumping off a mountain, setting a new bold goal, and even watching your last child leave the house for college, is unsettling. But with the unsettled feeling comes excitement. Nothing can stay the same forever -no matter how much we want it to. We are challenged in life and in business to move forward. So we have the choice to move forward in fear or to move forward with confidence – or maybe a combination of both. But we have to keep trusting that our roots and our wings will take us to new levels.

Today’s blog is to nudge you to jump off the mountain you’ve been standing on too long. If you recently accomplished a major business feat, root the achievement in your memory and relish the moment. If you have been sitting on the mountain for awhile enjoying the view, it’s time to take off to a new vista. If you’ve just started a rigorous new climb, keep going. You’ll get there.

Go forth today with the knowledge it’s much more fun climbing to new heights than it is to sit on top forever. Life is all about change. Direct yourself and go forth with both roots and wings as you plan a more successful 2013 business year.