Nature is humbling I'm often astonished by nature, and how it does it's thing so well. The perfection in the simplest budding of a flower, the regeneration of a fingernail... There's no natural process, no matter how "small", that doesn't leave the greatest achievements of our species - let alone any of my personal victories - in the shade. Can the most sophisticated technology replicate the majesty of a single leaf? Does my most cherished success hold a candle to the miracle of the smallest flower? Not even close. But I don't get too down about being shown up by nature. If I feel inadequate, I can contemplate the effortless marvels unfolding in my body and feel better about myself. Thank you, body. Amazing job - I must remember to treat you better. Adding value is Mastery This perfect unfolding of nature is always done in the service of something else - something downstream. Something bigger than itself. The leaf absorbs energy to share with the entire tree. The flower attracts insects to propagate plants that don't even exist yet. Nature is always adding value to a grander vision. This gets me wondering as to whether I am. How much value do I add My honest answer: only a little - but enough to realise this is when I am most engaged, most in flow, most happy. Adding value is what nature does, and its what masters do. It's the definition of mastery. So, as this new year rolls in, instead of asking myself what I can achieve or obtain this year, I'm asking how can I add most value? This year, today, now - in this moment. I like the perspective this brings. May we all leave 2024 better than we enter it. Wishing you a wonderful new year.