Embracing Slow Growth

In the world of technology, entrepreneurs want to build the next big thing and venture capitalists only fund you if you have unicorn (1B+ valuation) potential. This mindset of growth and scale is prevalent across the industry.

In the past year, I’ve picked up an interest in gardening and a lesson that every gardener learns is patience and embracing slow growth. If I’m growing a tree, I don’t give it a ton of water hoping it will grow faster. I give it what it needs then leave it alone. Slowly but surely, the seed begins to sprout, the stem begins to form, then leaves and branches start to grow. Given enough time and care, a beautiful tree emerges.

This idea of embracing slow growth is a mindset that can be applied universally outside of gardening. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that my friends and I named our writing club after the olive tree, as we’re running this club with the same mindset.
In a world of speed, shortcuts, and hacks, perhaps it’s better to take a long term view and embrace slow growth instead.

February 22, 2023


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