The Critical Role of Dirt in Your Success...

Good Morning!

I have always promoted the importance of learning...to an invividual's or organization's success...

We generally think that learning is an attribute assigned solely to individual organisms...

I believe that any entity is capable of learning...

Including entities that are comprised of multpile organisms..."a collective"

Individual ants learn...and that information leads to a behavior change in the entire colony...

Bees are the same...

These individuals learn and this leads to the collectives learning...which manifests itself in change which means the survival or a benefit to the whole...

They will not survive if knowledge does not manifest itself in change!

Organizations can and MUST do the same!

Learning is more than simply acquiring knowledge or information...

The value of "acquired information" is only realized when it elicits a behavior change!

An individual or organization can only claim that it is capable of learning...when it is capable of changing its behavior...based on the acquired information...

In this context...ignorance is a good excuse for improper behavior...but lack of change (when the information exists) is inexcusable...and in most cases...it carries with it a "death penalty!"

The dynamics of change driven by information is critical not only to survival...but also to growth...

The more quickly that an individual or organization can acquire information and adapt...the higher the probability of survival...or growth!

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This past autumn...I gathered the seed from our favorite cactus...

I was able to amass about a "half-cup" (dry measure) of them, and I put them in a bottle...and they are sitting on the ledge, of the window above the kitchen sink.

Next to that bottle is a small flower pot containing some dirt...and I put one cactus seed in that pot...

In just a few days, it sprouted and has grown into a cactus!

Inches away...sits that container of cactus seeds...all with the same potential to become cacti...but they are doing nothing...completely dormant!

The difference between?  The dirt!

I learned a lesson from this observation...

The dynamics of life (for the seeds) depends on the dirt!

Most people rue the time when "dirt" enters their lives...

Dirt in this case is not "defamatory" information...but simply the undesirable and unpopular conditions...

If a seed avoided "getting dirty" because it was uncomfortable or that they thought that the dirt it would ruin their reputation...they would never sprout and grow into what its potential!

There is a risk associated with "getting dirty" but there are also benefits...

Success starts with a seed of hope...

Dirt is not an option to success...it is a required ingredient!

You can not stand next to dirt and expect to grow...

It is time that we realize...that to be a success...

You have to get dirty!

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So what do these two  unrelated topics have in common...

First...that a discovery should elicit a behavior change...

That the observation of the seeds taught me (I learned) that you have to get into the dirt in order to grow and florish...

You can not sit protected and expect to become anything close to your potential...

You can not be successful...without getting dirty...

I could talk about this for a long time...but the fact of the matter is...
It's your choice...

Enough Said...

Pura Vida!