How to Think Differently About Long-Term Goals

I wrote this sitting under our maple tree — Happy Fall!

Maple by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.

— Chinese Proverb

We planted an Autumn Maple Blaze in the Spring of 2011 that turns the most gorgeous colors imaginable in the fall. It’s more than twenty feet tall, and it’s my favorite tree of all time.

I’ve seen the great banyans in Hawaii, the inspiring oaks in Savannah, the startling surprise of the Jacaranda in Sydney, the towering redwoods of Muir Woods, and the perfect contrast of the Bougainvillea in Greece — the baobabs of Africa and the Cherry Blossoms of Japan are still on our list.

Jacaranda by Mitchell Luo on Unsplash

I love our maple tree now that it’s big enough that we can put Adirondack chairs under it, but when I think back, I realize I’ve loved it since the day we planted it.

I loved it as a small tree — the first time the leaves changed, we were so excited. I’ve loved it as it’s grown, how it’s changed, and how the kids and dog love it too.

Each season, I’m surprised by how much it grows and how comforting that growth has become. No…