January 25, 2021

Lessons from a squirrel

Squirrel.pine tree.snow.winter

It’s early morning, and the sunrise is spectacular.

I am watching the bright pink clouds move slowly behind the silhouette of a tree in my garden.

A family of squirrels live in that tree, in an old bird’s nest they have converted into a home.

One of the squirrels came out on a branch, and without hesitation, leapt the gap to the next tree, grabbed onto a thin branch, and proceeded from there to breakfast in the neighbour’s pine tree.

Then a second squirrel made the same journey with just as much panache.

I was struck by their confidence in doing something that to me looked difficult and dangerous.

Have you ever watched someone who was good at something, and wish you were that good?

How do you think they got that good?

Did they do it like the squirrels? Watch others, start small, start easy, practice every day, and learn from the occasional fall?

What skill that others do well do you want to get good at?

What are you going to do about it today?

My best wishes, Paul

Paul Matthews

CEO and Founder of People Alchemy

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2 Responses

  1. I enjoy watching squirrels quite a bit. And I bet they do learn how to leap from branch to branch by seeing other squirrels do it and then practicing!

    1. I guess some of it might be instinct, but I assume they learn to jump the same way we learn to walk. Practice and perseverance!

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