Does it plant corn?

Jan 28th, 2011No Comments

January is the perfect time for introspection. The perfect time to discern what aspects of yourself and your life to develop over the next year. A Native American teacher of mine used to ask me, “Does it plant corn?” when I was telling him of the new thing I was fired up about.

Seems like he was saying, “Will it develop into something that will reap value in the lives of you and your people.” Or, “Sounds like a great idea, but will it feed your people?”

Your time and energy is so precious. There are so many things that sound great in theory, but never really make a difference or accomplish anything of value. At one level these things are distractions. Distractions from the dreams we could be actualizing.

Economists and investors call this opportunity cost. Investopedia defines opportunity cost as, “the cost of an alternative that must be foregone to pursue a certain action” (link). In this case, the investment is your time and energy- the ultimate investment.

So I urge you to add, “Does it plant corn?” to the questions you ask yourself when considering which seeds to plant in your life this spring. A seed, after all, takes a lot of time and energy to cultivate.

And if it doesn’t plant corn- why bother? You could just as easy plant something that does.

About author:

Michael Hoffman’s passion is guiding people to connect with their natural gifts. He believes that we all have innate gifts that hugely benefit others and the world when we offer them. The purest example of these gifts is the Native American concept of medicine or the gift you offer your people. Michael defines your medicine or gift as the natural effect you have on other people when your heart is open. Unfortunately, the demands of our current culture to comply and fit in often distract people away from their inherent gifts and the natural expression of their being. Michael believes many of us have forgotten our dreams and what we are about. This sadly results in a loss of purpose, passion, and vitality. As an innate gift specialist, Michael offers retreats, classes, and individual sessions to allow people to reclaim their natural gifts. These venues allow people to identify, awaken, and offer their gifts. This experiential work incorporates Zen thought, Native American ceremony, rites-of-passage, and releasing limiting belief systems. Michael also maintains his meta blog to provide knowledge, skills, and awareness for unfolding your natural gifts. He is currently compiling this knowledge and research into a college class and book. Michael earned his Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1987 and Master of Social Work in 1996. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. In addition to his formal education, Michael studied and apprenticed with a Zen Master and spiritual teacher for 22 years to learn how to guide people to understand themselves. He has worked with people professionally since 1986 as a psychotherapist and teacher. Michael currently resides in Oceanside, California.

All entries by

Leave a Reply