Set The Tone : Create An Environment For You To Flourish.

Create An Environment That Sets You Up For Success.

When you want to grow a plant, there are certain things you need to do before you plant the seed/ seedling. Before one begins the daily care of the plant, one of the most important things to do is create an environment to place the seed. You dig the ground, prepare the soil, and put in compost if the soil is not rich enough. Likewise, if you have no space on the ground to start the garden, you create the space. You put containers with nutritious soil, water the soil, and ensure you place it in a position where your seedlings have access to air and enough sunlight. You set the tone for how you want your seeds to flourish; you are intentionally creating an environment that will make planting the seed conducive when you finally get to the planting stage. Think of it in the kitchen as well, when you plan to bake, the first step is to take out all the ingredients. This is so you can create an environment that makes the process flow easy. There is a lesser chance of forgetting one of the ingredients or moving up and down only to find out you don’t have that particular ingredient in your kitchen. Again, taking out all your ingredients is setting up the tone for your baking process.

It’s Not Just For Plants….

This same principle applies to our day-to-day living and how we can attain our goals. We need to set the tone that enables us to execute the action steps needed to reach a particular goal. Prepare the soil in which you want your goals to flourish, or the person you are becoming through personal development, to flourish. If your agenda is to wake up early the next morning, create an environment that will help your goal flourish, like going to bed early the previous night. Not going to bed with your mobile phone or any other distractions and setting an alarm can help you set the tone for you to attain your goal. You are intentionally planning for your goal to be a success the next morning. If your goal is to exercise the next morning, you can set the tone the night before by putting your workout clothes in plain sight and planning on exactly the type of workout you intend to do. That is setting the tone for your goal to be a success.

Setting the tone for your goals to flourish helps you develop the discipline and create habits to take actions that lead you to your desired outcome. Your habits create momentum that will accelerate you to a position where your seed develops into a thriving plant. Can you think of some ways that can help you set the tone/ create an environment for any of your current goals to flourish? You can download this worksheet to assist you with this exercise.

Set the tone worksheet

Depending on your goal, here are some ways to help you set the tone/ create an environment to make your dreams and goals a success

Seek knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in that area.

According to Your Dictionary, knowledge is the collection of information and awareness about a subject or situation. Synonyms include education, erudition, and learning

Understanding is comprehending the meaning and significance of the knowledge one possesses. Synonyms include comprehension and grasping.

My favorite definition of wisdom is by John C Maxwell – Knowing what to do with what you know. Synonyms include sagacity

James 1:5 says, “ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (NIV). Sometimes we tend to think we can only ask God for wisdom & understanding about the scriptures, but you can ask God for wisdom in any area of your life. The bible says in the book of Daniel that God gave Daniel and his three friends an unusual aptitude for understanding in every aspect of literature and wisdom. Read books, listen to experts in the area that you seek to succeed in. Be a scholar in that area until you become a master who continuously grows.

If any of you lacks wisdom [ to guide him through a decision or circumstance ], he is to ask of [ our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. James 1:5 AMP

Remove Distractions

Another strategy to help you set the right tone and create an environment that brings you closer to your goals is eliminating distractions. Figure out what’s the biggest distraction that may be slowing down your productivity and intentionally remove it to set the tone for the task ahead. In our current society, mobile phones are a distraction to many. When performing a task, consider keeping your phone out of reach, in a separate room, or in a bag if you don’t have access to multiple rooms. Sometimes distractions are not just for the moment to help you complete tasks; they could be something ongoing. Figure out what distraction could be hindering you from achieving your goals in this season of your life. It could be a project, a good project, but for now, is it the time to do it, or is it posing as a distraction? It could be a person. Anything that is pulling you away from your goals in the season, whether seemingly good or bad, is a distraction. Choose to take inventory of your life this week and remove all the distractions blocking you from setting the tone for your goals to flourish.

Think of your goals and personal growth journey as plants today. Intentionally set the tone to ensure a good harvest. Create an environment free from distractions and don’t neglect seeking wisdom to ensure you are setting the right tone for a bountiful harvest.

tanyafungai