# 48 - Are You Hoarding Seed or Working the Soil?
Episode 48
What's the first thing that you do when you're wanting to build your confidence in a particular area?
Probably, you begin by gathering information. You pick up your phone or open your computer and start searching on how to be an entrepreneur, how to use a dating app, how to speak in public, apply for a new job, write a book, or stand up for yourself against a bullying boss.
Because we live in the information age our entire context is focused around information as the solution to our every need. We believe that if we just collect and find enough of the most accurate, up to date, streamlined and expert data, then we'll be confident in our ability to handle our challenges.
Here's the problem.
Information is only one element of a two-part solution to building confidence.
Confidence is a living thing that we're trying to grow in a particular location. Similarly, if we were trying to grow a shade tree in the sunniest part of our backyard, there would be two things we would need.
We would need the SEED for that shade tree and we would need the SOIL to grow it in.
Information is just the seed part of this equation.
And it's true that having quality seed is important. But no matter how many seeds one collects, not a single one can sprout into a shade-giving organism unless there is good soil to plant it in.
So if information is the seed for confidence, what is the soil?
There are three elements that need to be present to make fertile soil for human growth.
Energy
Attention
Stamina
So if you want to finally write the novel you've had bouncing around in your head forever, you might first look for information from an experienced author on what steps to take. But once you have that information, you'll need enough energy to overcome your old resistances and to take those first steps. You'll need enough attention to stay focused on the process, and you'll need enough stamina to make sustained efforts to carry them out.
Interestingly enough, it's around the winter holidays when we instinctually feel the need to replenish the soil of our character so that we are ready for the next growing season. That's why New Year's resolutions are pre-dominated by personal promises to start eating better, meditating and exercising.
So here is my suggestion:
Pick one of the three core soil-disciplines (exercise, meditation, or diet) and up-level your commitment to practicing it.
The activity of healthy eating—working with our habits of craving, desire, and comfort in the form of food—has been documented as being vital to our energy levels. Poor dietary choices destabilize the machinery we exist within and weaken it to the point where most of our energy is tied up in trying to digest and assimilate substances that are not ideal fuel for human function.
The activity of meditation—working the the muscles of attention, self-observation and presence—has been shown to improve our capacity for clarity and focus. In the absence of deepening our ability to be attentive, we are drawn more and more frequently away from the present moment into distractions and frivolities that have no relationship to our confidence goals.
The activity of exercise—working the muscles, systems and structures that support the physical functioning of the body—has been researched and demonstrated over and over to be absolutely key to using our energy efficiently and effectively. If the physical structure is misaligned, poorly treated and improperly used, our stamina will suffer dramatically. We'll have less capacity to pursue our goals and desires with consistency over time.
Going into any degree of depth on how to establish any one of these three practices could form the basis of an entire book. Indeed, thousands of such books already exist on these topics. And of course you could order one of those books and have it on your doorstep tomorrow.
But remember, our cultural habit is to collect seed, and here today, we're talking about soil.
So, to keep it simple:
If you don't exercise at all, then make a commitment to walk for 20 minutes every day.
If you don't meditate, then make a commitment to meditate for 10 minutes every day.
If you don't pay any attention to what goes into your mouth, eliminate just one item from your diet that you know isn't good for you.
Taking action on any one of those suggestions will begin the process of enriching your soil.
If you have questions on how to practice any of the above suggestions, don't look it up! Reply to this message instead and ask me your question. I will research and share only what you need to know and send it back to you so you can stay on track with the practice and minimize distractions with theory.
To reiterate: Guard against the habit of seed collecting. Stay focused on the soil-building process.
You'll know when you're soil-building, because it will be uncomfortable. It will be uncomfortable because you will actually be re-structuring the molecules of your habit-body, allowing old habits to die and new ones to form.
Embrace the discomfort and keep your commitments small, along the lines of what I've suggested above. That way the changes will be sustainable. If you make bigger declarations you're likely to fall off of them more easily.
All we're talking about is preparing fertile soil for the growth of your confidence, in any life area you choose.
That’s it for today’s episode. I’m Rick Lewis, this is the Follow Through Formula Podcast and I’ll be back tomorrow.