Weeds:
Weeds. According to Merriam Webster, “weed” is defined as, “a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth.” I’ve also heard it being referred to as a “plant out of place.” We have weeds in our perennial flower beds which also contain a few yummy edibles like oregano, chives, thyme, several types of mint, and sage. Therefore when we weed, we pull the weeds by hand so we don’t have to use any toxic chemicals.
Their Success:
Now weeding isn’t my favorite outdoor chore, but it’s something that needs to be done. It’s actually kind of relaxing to do, and there’s the sense of accomplishment you get when it’s done. I’ve often asked myself when weeding, “Why are they so successful?” Some flowers and plants may struggle, but it seems like no matter the weather, no matter how much/how little rain we get, and even if there’s a hail storm with golfball-sized hail (this actually did happy in late June 2020), the weeds always survive.
I’m most definitely a “beginner” gardener and have a lot to learn. In my weed pulling adventures I’ve started to notice their root systems. The goal of course in weeding is to successfully get the entire root systems so you don’t have to pull the doggone thing again. Some roots are long and thick and seem to grow straight down. My guess is they do this so they can find water. Other weeds’ root systems grow more horizontally and they spread well…like weeds. I again surmise they do this to reach water to be able to survive. From my novice gardening point of view, the weeds seem to be adapting to their environment so they can grow and survive.
Adapting: Weeds
Whether it’s large, long roots diving deep into the earth, or strong long root systems spreading across the earth horizontally, this seems to be one of the ways weeds adapt to their environment so they can continue to live and grow. And it appears to be successful. Pulling weeds is tough and not always successful on my part, like when you only get the leaves on top and absolutely none of the root. They really do hang on! They’ve adapted to hold on for their continued survival and benefit. One particular weed I’m thinking about is terribly stubborn. It’s one of the “creeper” weeds. Every once in a while I’ll get a “good” pull. The root is crazy long and at the end there’s curly cue! This curl at the end is like the weed is “grasping” on to dear life – like it’s trying to keep itself firmly in place in the earth. Again, to me this seems to be another of the weed’s adaptations in order to stay alive.
Adapting: Voiceover Talent/Business Owner
So…what’s with all of the weed talk? The past several months (spring and summer of 2020 and likely beyond) we’ve all had to do a lot of pivoting and adapting to help stop the spread of covid 19. To stay in business, to stay engaged, to continue to communicate, we have pivoted to Zoom, GoTo Meeting, and a myriad of other meeting/conference platforms to stay in touch, promote products and services, and to learn. We’ve had to learn to adapt to be able to move forward. This is no different for the voice acting industry.
Now, though, there are new avenues to explore and to adapt to. It’s like growing your business roots a little deeper and branching out (kind of like the weeds roots that spread horizontally) to research new genres, new companies to work with, new classes (now mostly virtual) to attend, and being open to innovative ideas to try and different people and businesses to partner with.
Adaptation, I feel, is essential to grow and to survive. Sure it can be scary…at first. Delving into a new genre, asking questions, connecting with someone new, expanding your skill sets, and continual learning are essential to any business.
So…grow your roots deeper and spread your “wings” further to encompass new ideas and people, and open yourself and awareness to new opportunities to adapt and to succeed.
Common Questions: