Laughing and Planting Sequoias: Why Long-Term Purpose is the Only True Profit

In the constant, high-speed current of business, it's easy to focus on what’s immediately visible: the next quarterly report, the upcoming deadline, the daily metrics. But periodically, we must pull back and examine the foundations—not just what we are building, but how we are building it and why.

My team and I recently spent time focused entirely on these foundational questions. Our discussions reaffirmed two principles that I believe are essential for any organization aiming to build something enduring: the power of diverse perspectives to forge consensus and the profound necessity of meaningful, long-term work.

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The Wisdom of the Collective: Forging Bedrock Solutions

In any ambitious endeavor, complexity is inevitable. The moment a critical challenge arises, it reveals the true character of an organization. Is it built on the single vision of one person, or on the collective wisdom of many?

The reality is that no single perspective holds the monopoly on truth. As leaders, entrepreneurs, and individuals, we often feel the pressure to have the single, perfect answer. But in complex problem-solving, that singular mindset is a liability. Our strength lies not in the speed of an individual decree, but in the robustness of the collective lens.

I recently watched our team grapple with a deeply technical, foundational challenge. It was the kind of problem that, if handled poorly, could create systemic issues down the line. What was remarkable was the process: not a rush to judgment, but a patient, deliberate effort to dissect the problem using diverse viewpoints.

This experience powerfully demonstrated that you don't just solve problems better when you allow for differing views; you learn how to solve better, period. We pushed on two separate conceptual models of the issue, leaning into the constructive friction until the contradictions were resolved. We arrived at strong, bedrock solutions precisely because we allowed for, and appreciated, the differences in our group.

These differences are not hindrances; they are essential structural supports. They ensure that when a multi-faceted problem emerges, we have a robust, multi-perspective approach ready to analyze and resolve it.

The lesson here is universal: When a foundational challenge arises, don't settle for the easy, superficial answer. Insist on the difficult conversation. Let the pressure reveal the strongest structure your team can build.

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Chasing the Right Kind of Profit: The Mad Farmer's Mandate

The second, and perhaps more soulful, realization stems from the core mission of our work—our purpose. What, truly, are we aiming to create?

I am often drawn to the work of the poet and essayist Wendell Berry, specifically his poem "The Mad Farmer Liberation Front." Berry challenges the conventional order of modern business with remarkable clarity. There’s a common, often unspoken sentiment in high-speed, transactional sectors: "When they want you to die for profit they will let you know."

That line is a critical question for any business: What is the core aim of your organization? Is it purely transactional profit, or is it a lasting, meaningful impact?

In the relentless pursuit of short-term numbers, many businesses lose sight of the purpose that gave the organization life in the first place. It is a critical responsibility of leadership to constantly affirm that our aim is to build a legacy of enduring impact, not merely to maximize a fleeting financial gain.

Berry provides the perfect mandate for this long-term thinking:

"Invest in the millennium. Plant sequoias. Say that your main crop is the forest that you did not plant, that you will not live to harvest. Say that the leaves are harvested when they have rotted into the mold. Call that profit."

Who, operating within the constraints of a modern P&L statement, thinks like this? The answer is: We must.

This is the philosophy we embrace at Brightwell. We are planting sequoias. We commit to a long game that places purpose and lasting impact far ahead of the next financial report. Our planning horizon isn't 12 months; it’s half a century. We are forging projects today that will power communities for decades. Every deal is making a lasting difference—it’s not a transaction, it’s a commitment to future vitality.

If more organizations adopted this mindset—if they focused on the health of the 'forest' they won't live to see—we would all inhabit a better, more sustainable world.

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The Joyful Act of Building

The final piece of this philosophy is perhaps the simplest, yet the most vital: enjoy the work.

Embrace the stories behind your effort, embrace the excitement, and, most importantly, embrace the grind while staying present in the moment. This combination of long-term vision and daily presence sustains the entire enterprise.

We can enjoy our work. In fact, we must enjoy our work. As Berry beautifully concludes:

"Expect the end of the world. Laugh. Laughter is immeasurable. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts."

Authentic connection and joy in the effort are not "soft skills"; they are foundational strengths. They fuel the creativity and resilience needed for the long game. This deep, shared purpose and the joy of collaboration make all the difference, and for that alone, we are already successful.

I wish you all success in planting your own sequoias.

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