Mining Leaps for Courage and Purpose Seeds

Looking back, several of the biggest leaps Cindy and I have ever taken occurred in a very short period of time. As I’ve shared several times before, I’m not detailing the adversities we encountered along the way for sympathy. And I’m certainly not bragging about it; I’m thankful Cindy tolerated me through so much nonsense. My hope has been (and will continue to be as we move forward) that each one I reference gives you the perspective you need to find whatever seeds may still be hidden in any similar adversity you have or will face in your journey. 

One thing I’ve learned through it is that embracing uncertainty - rooted in values alignment and building on prior seeds from scarcity, setbacks, and transitions - clarifies purpose further and builds the foundation for values-driven leadership. Over time, we get a firsthand look at how bold leaps can feel like steps backwards initially but set us up to regain anything we may have lost through other adversities and provide opportunities for building stronger family alignment and making a great impact than we ever imagined - which rarely happens without being willing to make a leap.

My challenge for you here is to mine your leaps for any possible courage or purpose seeds you may have otherwise missed. Here are five questions for you to consider:

1. What bold leap or family shift still carries uncertainty or weight?
2. What blind spot or habit did it reveal, and what seed (e.g., courage or doing more than paid for) was hidden?
3. How could a decisive pivot strengthen your courage or definiteness of plans?
4. In what ways might nurturing this seed improve your influence without title—at home or work?
5. What three small, immediate actions can you take this week to plant and nurture it?

Every leap we’ve ever taken came with its own kind of uncertainty. Targeted reflection turns each shift (family or career) into leadership gold. Reflection, though, is often a tough choice that requires intentional discipline. I’m forever grateful for how Cindy helps me build time for focused reflection into our schedule; with my fast-paced approach, I likely wouldn’t give it a second thought otherwise. And that reflection is absolutely where we’ve found the seeds we’ve been able to plant and grow into the leadership gold we’ve needed. Start embracing your uncertainty now because you’ll need it as you experience more significant adversities - and I’ll share some of the bigger ones we’ve faced next.