Roots and Branches: The Unseen Foundations of Our Visible Successes

We plant a vegetable garden almost every year, and we’ve had varying degrees of success from our efforts. Almost always, there’s something in our approach that takes us closer to a good harvest, or impedes that good harvest. In early February, we planted some seeds for two varieties of tomatoes, long eggplants, and three kinds of peppers. I also planted some strawberry seeds, which is an ambitious project for a gardener of my caliber and experience. A garden is a metaphor for just about everything in life that we encounter, but lately, my mind has been focused on the relationship between roots and branches.

For the most part, what we see of a plant is what lives above the ground – the leaves, the flowers, the fruit – and the branches. The leaves of the trees offer shade for us, flowers provide us a visual feast as well as delightful aromas, fruits and vegetables give us nutrition and please our taste buds. The stems and stalks support the leaves, flowers, and fruit. But beneath the surface, the roots do a lot of work and get no glory. It is the task of the roots to reach for water and nutrients in the soil, and then to send those things up the stems and stalks so that the leaves and flowers and fruits can flourish.

For this illustration, we’re going to refer to all of the “above ground” parts as “the branches.” We can easily see how important the roots are to the branches, but let’s not forget that the roots need something from the branches as well. The upper reaches of the plants bring in the sun’s light and warmth to provide the catalyst to turn those nutrients into the essential energy for growth and survival. There’s a symbiotic relationship between the branches and roots that highlights the interconnectedness and dependency that exists within the plant’s structure. Each contributes to the health of the other, and the appearance and performance of each will tell you something of the health of the other.

It’s the same for us: we consist of branches (the parts of our lives that are visible to others) and roots (the parts of our lives that aren’t visible). In our own quest for growth, improvement, and achievement, the roots and the branches both play critical roles. Let’s take a look.

Understanding Our Roots

Not our ancestry. Our roots are the unseen efforts that contribute to our well-being. Okay, some of them are “seen,” but the real value isn’t. Someone can see you working out, but they don’t really see you working out. That is, they don’t see how it feels to fill your lungs to bursting, to strain that muscle till you want to cry, keep going when you just don’t want to. Someone can see you kneeling, but they can’t experience the connection you’re making in your prayer. When you spend hours on a presentation, nobody really knows the effort you put into it. We recognize these as essential for our growth and success. Yes, lifelong learning, formal and informal education, physical exercise, prayer and/or meditation, and all the behind-the-scenes work that make our visible successes possible – these are our roots.

The Growth to Branches and Leaves

You know, we can’t just take care of our plants once in a while and expect our plants to thrive. When we give a plant what it needs in its roots, the branches will benefit. With the exception of injuries and illnesses that just plain happen, we can understand that good health is a result of good eating and good exercise. A well-written book is born of effort and education. A tidy house occurs when we put routine and discipline into play. A great vacation is the outcome of planning and saving.

Cultivating Healthy Roots

We’ve talked about how important the roots are, but we also need to recognize the importance of the branches as indicators of the health of the roots. When the branches are bare or look “off,” we can take it as a signal that the roots need more attention. In a similar way, our branches can give us signals as to the health of our roots. The visible signs of struggle or failure likely have their beginnings at the root level, which is where we should turn our attention. For example, when facing professional challenges, we may need more knowledge or education. When we are experiencing stress or lack of fulfillment, we could benefit from some counseling or therapy. We don’t always recognize what we’re seeing as a root-level disturbance, and we may end up trying to treat the branches instead.

Even our outward appearance can reflect nurture or neglect of our roots. Dull hair and skin, dark circles under the eyes, and fatigue despite good nutrition and exercise may be stress or poor sleep habits.  A lethargic lifestyle could be a sunlight deficit manifestation. But what can you do about it?

First, take a systematic approach. Start by analyzing the problem, breaking it down into smaller components to identify any underlying causes. Consider all aspects, including the people affected or affecting you, your processes,  your systems, and any external factors.

Next, use the 5 Whys technique: Ask “why” repeatedly to dig deeper into the issue. This method helps uncover the underlying factors contributing to the problem by identifying the successive causes and effects. Keep asking “Why” and answering the question either until you are satisfied you’ve found the root, or you reach five “whys.”

Then, conduct a root cause analysis. This isn’t as difficult as it sounds. You can use tools such as fishbone diagrams or cause and effect analysis to identify some of the possible causes of the problem. An organized, structured approach facilitates a comprehensive examination of all potential factors.

Following that, you can start to gather data and evidence. Collect the relevant data and information to support the analysis you performed in the last step. This could involve conducting surveys and interviews among your friends, family, and colleagues, or analyzing the quantitative data. This helps ensure that your conclusions are based on facts and not assumptions.

Your next step is to prioritize the most significant causes. When you have identified multiple causes, put them in an order based on their impact and feasibility to address. This allows you to focus on the most critical factors that will have the greatest impact on resolving the problem.

Now you can begin to implement corrective actions. Develop and implement action plans to address the identified root causes. These should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Assign responsibilities and establish clear timelines for completion.

It’s also important that you monitor and evaluate your progress. You need to continuously monitor the progress of your actions and assess their effectiveness in addressing the root causes. Then you can make adjustments as needed and learn from any mistakes or shortcomings.

As you work through these root causes, make sure you foster a culture of continuous improvement. Encourage open communication and a proactive approach towards problem-solving within your organization, your family, and even within yourself. Empower yourself to identify and address root causes, which will foster a culture of problem-solving and continuous improvement.

You will encounter obstacles. You will. It’s inevitable. You’ll bump up against time constraints, because nobody ever has too much time. There will be times when the motivation just isn’t there. Not everyone in your life will be supportive of your efforts, and some will be downright hostile. Sometimes you’ll just have to punch through the roadblocks, and sometimes you can find your motivation again by remembering why you started the journey in the first place – to nurture both the roots and the branches for an overall healthy you. 

Recognizing and Celebrating Growth

You will find successes that people can see, and you’ll have personal, private victories that belong exclusively to you. You should celebrate both types, and you should do so in a way that brings you joy. If you neglect to celebrate, your efforts will begin to feel meaningless or as though life was nothing but work. We need to play, to relax, enjoy the world. It’s also important to record your victories, and to be prepared to share them with someone who may need to hear them.

Take some time today to consider your roots and branches. Remember that the world sees only the branches, but it’s the strength of our roots that will truly determine the health and beauty of our growth.

Drop a comment below and let me know of anything I left out. I’m always looking to make my life better.