Be the Seed and the Soil

We Grow in the Soil Where We’re Planted: A Reflection on Leadership and Growth

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how each of us grows in the soil where we’re planted. It’s a simple truth, but the more I reflect on it, the more I see how much it has shaped who I am—both as a person and as a leader.

I was born in Oregon and spent my early years in Portland, surrounded by the culture and climate of the Pacific Northwest. When I was six, my family moved all the way to Alabama—a completely different kind of soil. That change wasn’t just geographical; it was cultural, relational, and deeply formative. And then, years later, I found myself planting roots again in Texas—building a business, raising a family, and growing through a new kind of heat, challenge, and opportunity.

Each place—each soil—added something different to who I’ve become. The soft rain and green hills of Oregon gave me curiosity and creativity. The red clay of Alabama taught me grit and community. The Texas soil taught me resilience, faith, and a drive to build.

I’ve learned that growth isn’t just about where we are—it’s about how we respond to the soil around us. The best grapes often come from vines that had to fight through rock and dust to reach water. In the same way, the leaders who make the biggest impact are often those who’ve learned to grow through adversity, not around it.

But there’s another layer to this idea. Over time, we don’t just grow in the soil—we become the soil. The people we lead, work beside, and raise are growing in the environment we create. Our words, our tone, our example—they all become nutrients in someone else’s growth.

When we’re at our best, we’re both the seed and the soil. We’re still growing, stretching toward light and water—but we’re also enriching the ground for others. We’re learning and leading at the same time. That’s the rhythm of healthy leadership: being humble enough to keep growing, and generous enough to help others do the same.

So take a moment to look back on your own journey. What kind of soil did you grow in? What lessons did it leave in your roots? And today—right now—what kind of soil are you becoming for others?

Because in the end, that’s what leadership really is: continuing to grow while helping others flourish in the soil we leave behind.