Organic Evolution to Success

In this episode, we dig into a term we’ve all been hearing more about lately and really applies to our trading and creating this market mamas community. The term is: organic evolution. I’ve been hearing this term kicked around on multiple platforms and with various topics recently. Scientifically, the organic evolution of change holds that changes in the genetic makeup of species in a population are a result of responding to environmental changes. It means gradual and orderly changes from simple to complex in the characteristics of any organism from generation to generation. It’s a long term process over decades to centuries in the biological world. 

So, we can apply this term when one is pursuing specific and significant advancement in their lives. Slow and steady growth is about an early focus on sustainability and quality of work over quantity. Growth and tangible results comes as an organic byproduct of those efforts. Slow growth means that you are allocating time to focus on other things too! You are using your time intentionally and purposefully, with business and personal life. You are consistently developing strategy and diversity, understanding your market, your niche, and the needs of your consumers while catering to them. In trading, it looks like studying to understand more deeply how the market moves and why, which strategies work best with your own psychology and what opportunities you are more inclined to recognize. Also, the awareness of what emotional triggers you have to manage more aggressively, along with your natural strengths, and the biggest weak spots in your game. Once we have that very unique and raw material, then we create a system that can serve and support us while also honoring our intuition.

Slow and steady growth also combats the burnout risk so well. It’s a hard ask to consistently work late nights and early mornings over a long period of time. Especially if you have a family. Sure, that is one way to push hard and fast at a goal. However, you can also build an impressive empire with steady, sustained growth, dedication, and persistence. But you balance your day with personal health and family responsibilities with this approach. And that is arguably so much healthier for your whole person and the impact to those that you love. This is a difference in perspective and pace. One is more forceful, aggressive, and narrowly laser focused. And the other is more patient, steady, faithful, and manages multiple life directions simultaneously.

Of course we have all heard the Tortoise and the Hare reference - slow and steady wins the race. The core concept of this phrase is that consistent, calculated efforts lead to success and goal achievement.

“Long-term consistency trumps short-term intensity.”

~ Bruce Lee

Ok, we’re going to go a little deeper for a moment now. With the scientific classic growth curve, there are 4 phases of growth - for the sake of relevance, let’s just talk about the first two. The first phase is called the lag phase and it is characterized by slow growth while the new organism or project is getting used to its new environment and doing critical core work to the foundation. The second phase is called the log or exponential phase and it is characterized by an increased and constant growth rate that builds concentrated mass more quickly. In order to get to that second, exponential growth phase, you have to just start! You must create the foundation of a thing, put every step and requirement in place and foster the growth. Nurture and fine-tune the early stages and support it as it prepares to take off. If you do a thing right, that exponential growth phase is quite a move to be on board with!!

So, is slow and steady the gold standard? We like to think that it totally is and a little progress each day adds up to big results. If you can combine steady deliberate actions and sprinkle in occasional sprints when needed you will have a winning pace. I love how this is so applicable to life work in general, for a sustainable full life, that’s accentuated by bursts of momentum to boost your productivity. I’m currently reading David Goggins book Never Finished and he talks about the importance of knowing when you must adjust your speed in life. We can’t expect to be effective in our lives on cruise control. The beauty in life is sometimes you get hit with a shit storm and have to choose to adapt and fight or get swallowed up by adversity. These happenings ultimately add increased satisfaction, confidence, and power towards the advancement of whatever you are working towards! Purposeful action and effort will build a base to allow consolidation for the bigger breakouts to come and to continue. This to me is what organic evolution is all about. It also brings to mind the quote by Jim Watkins, “A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”

There are no guarantees when you take risks, but by slowly and intentionally making moves in a measured way, this mitigates some of the risks of pushing for larger gains over time. We’ve all heard of Tony Robbins, I am sure. Well he has said that: “No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.” We can talk ourselves out of anything, especially when the actions you are considering have no guarantee of success, hold risks, and will require substantial effort. It can feel safer and calmer to just not even try or to give up when early efforts encounter resistance, which is extremely likely. But I would ask, is that truly living? Are you testing your full potential by staying with a safe, quiet life? Not everyone has the urge to know their true potential. But if you are like us and you do, then we are going for it! Even with the no guaranteed outcome, we are absolutely getting somewhere farther than everyone else who is not even considering the game. 

We love the analogy of planting a seed. The seed is buried deep in the dark, damp soil. It requires time and patience to rehydrate, find and convert nutrients into roots. Grow its roots and then start to form a plant. The plant has to gain enough size, strength, energy and momentum to break free from the surface and then really start taking off with the sun adding energy. That really is such a beautiful image of the growth process that I know really resonates with us. We would never have big, beautiful, diverse plants without this critical dark, damp unwitnessed growth period. It is a requirement to create a plant; and the stronger, deeper, and more substantial the root structure is, the larger and more hardy the plant will be capable of becoming. I mean, this is what we market mamas are doing when we talk about building our foundation within our trading careers. It’s the groundwork of studying, practicing, falling, rising again and pivoting, and persistently showing up to our arena. We are deepening our roots for a strong foundation to break through from.

Oprah Winfrey has really created her empire in her own vision and so of course she had some great quotes on the growth process that resonated with us! She said: “We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” Right to the point with that one. If you want a bigger, untamed, more rich and free life, you have to literally evolve into the person that commands that life. Become the person who governs all of the complexities and behavior necessary to sustain that lifestyle. We are the creators of the lives we have and we get to design accordingly. This requires personal elevation that can be maintained and sustained for the long term. No one wants a house built of cards. Your dreams are worth your drive and you deserve everything you're willing to earn. Oprah was also quoted saying: “Your true passion should feel like breathing; it’s that natural.” We love that so much. It’s how we feel about trading and with creating this community with Market Mamas. When you are passionate about your plans and pursuit, it does feel as natural as breathing. In addition, I feel like you also need it like breathing. I need the chase of something challenging, I crave the feeling of activating my faith each day over fear and jumping in the arena. I don’t have to force my time on these activities, I want and feel fortunate to get to do them!

This concept of organic evolution really speaks to our hearts. We love the metaphors and the intent of the messages. Have patience and persistence and we can create the life of our dreams! The exponential growth will come when it is ready.