What do you have in your life that is preventing you from achieving your potential? What in your life RIGHT NOW is preventing positive growth?
Maybe it’s a job that is pushing against a glass ceiling? Or perhaps a marriage that has turned neglectful and abusive? How about a friendship that has become toxic? Maybe you need to reexamine your spending habits and cut costs somewhere? Whatever it is, you won’t be able to achieve your full potential because you’re investing your energy, time, and resources into these areas that are hurting you in the long run.
Perhaps it’s time to cut some things out. In chapter 2 of Necessary Endings, Henry Cloud compares this to the necessity of pruning for the gardener. When gardeners prune, they do so for three reasons-
1. There is too much growth.
Sometimes the gardener has to prune perfectly fine flowers. Maybe these blooms have achieved all they are capable of and will soon start to whither and die, depleting nutrients that could otherwise be used for the growing, thriving part of the bush. If these fully bloomed flowers continue with the bush, they will prevent the growth of the younger buds and blooms, causing them to be blocked out and suffocate.
♦ Implication #1 – Are you juggling too many things at once? Involved in too many relationships or clubs with no time left for yourself or the things you really want to do? Do you feel overwhelmed and disoriented. I used to be a social media fiend…totally addicted and consumed. When I was in the mental institution for a week I was cut off from all social media and electronics. What a freeing feeling – I could concentrate on ME and work my way back towards stability.
