GROWTH ENVIRONMENT MASTERY

To create your own growth, you must first master your environment.

Key Concept #4: Stay Rooted

Seeds, plants, and trees require four things to continue growing and thriving: nutrients, water, sunlight, and CO₂.

To access the nutrients and water they need to survive, plants and trees establish roots. But not all roots grow or develop in the same way.

If we compare our personal growth to the growth of plants, what do roots represent? What about nutrients? And how do they influence your external growth environment?

Nutrients: General Information for Growth

For plants, elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium, and magnesium are essential for growth—just as general knowledge from school and everyday life nourishes our intellectual development.
Just as plants use roots to dig into the soil and draw out vital nutrients, *our curiosity acts as roots*, driving us to explore and extract the information that fuels our intellectual growth.
Without curiosity, you may not absorb enough knowledge or experiences to truly grow as a person.

Taproots: These are the tree’s first foundational roots, initially providing stability and absorbing nutrients. While they begin as a strong anchor, most taproots don't continue to grow deeply due to limited oxygen and nutrients in deeper soil layers.

Lateral Roots: Growing outward just below the soil surface, lateral roots are primarily responsible for absorbing water and nutrients. However, they offer minimal stability for trees that grow to great heights.

Oblique Roots: Growing diagonally—both outward and downward—oblique roots function similarly to lateral roots in absorbing water and nutrients, but they also contribute more to a tree’s stability.

Sinker Roots: Extending vertically downward from lateral roots, sinker roots penetrate several feet into the soil. They access deeper reserves of water and nutrients, enhancing the tree’s overall stability.

Curiosity: Building Your Root System

Curiosity is the root of all learning. In plants, different types of roots serve different purposes.

Tap vs. Lateral Roots: Who You Are vs. What You Know

When someone says "Get back to your roots," they’re encouraging you to reconnect with your true self. This involves exploring your family history, background, cultural roots, and personal values. Establishing a strong **taproot**—a firm understanding of yourself—is essential for staying grounded and true to who you are. In our lesson, a **taproot** also represents the development of traits, qualities, mindsets, and attitudes that will help you become a well-rounded and highly competent person in both the workplace and life.
Conversely, lateral roots—branching out in all directions without going too deep—are like school and other experiences that teach you a little about many different subjects. While these roots expand your knowledge, they may not significantly impact or nourish your personal growth.
Thus, some knowledge shapes what you know, while other knowledge shapes who you are and who you will become. Both are important.

Digging Deep and Wide: Making Connections

Oblique and sinker roots enable a deeper exploration of a specific subject or area of interest. When students are tasked with choosing a major or field of study, they often delve more deeply into a particular area.
Sinker roots, which originate from lateral roots, extend directly downward. This mirrors when you develop a deep passion or obsession for a specific subject or area of interest.
On the other hand, some individuals gradually accumulate knowledge about a subject, growing more interested as they learn, which causes them to dig even deeper. This type of learning is similar to oblique roots, which extend downward in a diagonal direction.
Can you think of an example of this type of learning? What about someone interested in a career in technology? As they learn more, they might become coders, digital artists, database programmers, or UI designers.

Some people only establish lateral or surface roots. They learn a lot about a variety of subjects and may even dig deeper, establishing sinker roots in one or two areas of study. However, they might not take the time to dig deeper into understanding who they are, what qualities, traits, and mindsets they possess, or what they stand for. Trees with shallow roots are often blown down during strong windstorms.

So don’t be fooled into thinking that just because you have a lot of knowledge, that’s all you need to be successful.

On the other hand, trees that establish deep taproots are firmly grounded and can weather almost any storm. Likewise, when you know who you are, and you like and appreciate yourself, you will have the self-esteem and confidence to withstand life’s many storms.

Why It All Matters

Metacognitive Goal

Before the next lesson, take some time to reflect on the types of knowledge you’ve acquired so far and consider how they influence both you and your future.

First, recognize your general knowledge. What do you know about various subjects? Which subject is your favorite? What subject sparks your natural curiosity?

Next, identify the knowledge that provides insights into yourself—your identity, culture, strengths, weaknesses, and everything that contributes to who you are.

Finally, consider which of these two types of knowledge will help you navigate obstacles, challenges, and difficulties in the future, both in work and in life.