OK, now we’re back. I know it’s been a while, we’ve been busy re-tooling things around here. It’s been an enlightening process. As we were re-vamping I realized that tools are not what they used to be.
I used to say most things could be fixed with a few simple tools: a hammer, a Philips or slotted screwdriver and/or a roll of silver Duct Tape. My actual tool box was compact and lightweight, and so was my tool kit for managing our online stuff (full disclosure I very often let my basic skills take the back seat to Scott’s far, far superior capabilities).
Still, it was not that long ago when creating your online presence was straightforward. Pick a provider, chose a theme, do a little tweaking, add in your content and Voilà! You’d built something. It was live and it did what you needed it to, mostly because everyone was doing essentially the same thing.
Then things went and got tricky. We customized.
Duct Tape now comes in a rainbow of colors and patterns. I hardly ever use a screwdriver anymore. Instead I pop a custom bit it into my cordless drill, cause there are all sorts of screws these days, each one for a particular purpose.
Getting online is the same. Suddenly everyone wanted to do more with their site, make it unique to fit their special needs and adaptable to any device. To do that, we need different tools. New tools. Ones that help us do lots of things and still be flexible enough to handle the ideas we were going to come up with tomorrow.
And so, while updating MeetMaple.com I was struggling mightily, cobbling things together and straining to make our vision viable. Finally, I accepted that I needed new tools to achieve my goal, and yes, I needed help from the expert. The whole process got me thinking about the tools we use to support our personal growth.
Typically, the facilitator or program provided tools for us, which often included a place to “work”. That’s where we put the answers to homework, or the big take-aways or the insights from participating in the class. Except those tools only worked with that provider, they weren’t all about how I like to work. Alternatively, we blaze a path on our own. We use whatever is comfortably at our disposal: Word, Google Docs, Evernote or even an actual notebook.
The same applied when personal growth happened through collaboration. As a coach, I used what was simple and available – email, DropBox, Word. Colleagues co-opted tools (ex. Asana or Basecamp) created for other purposes that kinda did what they needed them to do.
I didn’t realize it at first, but when we came up the idea for Maple I was just saying – “Hey I need a new set of tools!” And with Maple Pro it was, “Yea, I need some expert support while I use these tools!”
Things had changed. Sorta useful didn’t cut it anymore. I wanted something customized for my own learning and personal growth style. I wanted a tool specifically for coaching that let me stay connected to my clients or my own coach and was simple and focused on supporting the personal growth process.
“Let the technology do that work for you” is a sentiment I often share with clients and just recently realized that applies here too. Personal growth takes energy, whether you are the one growing or the one guiding someone else. Why not use tools that let us conserve energy on organization and processes, so we can put it towards the work of self-discovery and internalizing insights. That is a tool that needs to be in our personal growth tool box.
Sure new tools can be unnerving (Elementor, I’m talking to you!), but once you accept the value they bring and give them a chance they make your job easier. Used properly they help you achieve the results you want.
We put those to good use to create a fresh version of MeetMaple.com. You’ll still find lots of great information about Maple, like our story, blogs, How-To’s, and contact info. We’ve also got our brand new tool, called Maple Pro, to show you. Take a look at what it can do for you on your unique journey and sign up for early access on the new Maple Pro pages.
Like what you see? Got other ideas? Let us know, we always want to hear from the Maple Community.
#ToolsForPersonalGrowth #WherePersonalGrowthTakesRoot #MapleThat
Christine
Maple
Scott