What’s Growing Beneath the Surface?

Written By Developer Designer

Before habits appear in our lives, something else grows first—our thoughts.

I came across an image recently that perfectly captured something I often talk about when working with athletes and professionals.

It was a tree.

But instead of leaves at the top and roots underground, the top of the tree looked like a brain.

At first glance it was just a creative image. But the more I looked at it, the more it reminded me of something powerful about how our lives actually work.

Because the way a tree grows is surprisingly similar to how our thoughts shape our behaviours and habits.

The Roots: Our Thoughts

For a tree, the roots do far more than simply hold it in place.

Roots provide stability and structural anchorage, allowing the tree to withstand storms. They absorb water and nutrients, store reserves for future growth, and support essential biological processes.

In many ways, the life of the tree depends on what is happening underground.

Our thoughts work the same way.

Our thinking forms the foundation of how we experience the world. The thoughts we repeat become the beliefs that anchor us. They influence how we see ourselves, what we believe is possible, and how we respond to challenges.

When our thinking is rooted in possibility, curiosity, and growth, we create a strong foundation for resilience and confidence.

But when our thinking becomes dominated by doubt, fear, or self-criticism, those roots begin feeding something very different.

The Trunk: Our Behaviors

The trunk of a tree serves as the main structural support and central transport system, carrying nutrients from the roots upward to the rest of the tree.

In our lives, this trunk represents our behaviours.

Our behaviours are the visible actions that connect what we think to what we ultimately become.

When our thoughts are rooted in growth and possibility, our behaviours often reflect courage and curiosity. We take risks, ask questions, and step into new environments.

But when our thinking is dominated by the inner critic—those quiet whispers telling us we’re not ready or not good enough—our behaviours often shift.

We hesitate.
We avoid.
We play smaller than we’re capable of.

The roots feed the trunk.

And the trunk determines how the tree grows.

The Branches and Leaves: Our Habits

At the top of the tree, the branches and leaves form what is known as the crown.

Leaves convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into the energy that fuels the tree’s growth. Branches extend outward, supporting leaves, flowers, and fruit.

In our lives, this represents our habits.

Habits are the repeated patterns of behaviour that shape our daily lives.

But habits rarely appear out of nowhere.

They grow from behaviours.

And behaviours grow from thoughts.

Your habits are simply the visible branches of the thoughts that live beneath the surface.

What the Science Says

Psychologists have long studied the connection between thoughts and behaviour.

Research by Dr. Aaron Beck, the founder of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, shows that our automatic thoughts strongly influence emotional responses and behavioural patterns. Studies in the Journal of Cognitive Therapy and Research demonstrate that identifying and reshaping negative thought patterns can significantly improve behaviour, resilience, and emotional well-being.

In short:

When we change our thinking, we often change our actions.

And when our actions change, our habits begin to change as well.

Fear Means It’s Go Time – Action Step

If thoughts are the roots of the tree, then awareness is the first step to strengthening them.

This week, take a few minutes each day to check in with your thoughts. At the end of the day, write down one or two thoughts that showed up repeatedly.

Then ask yourself two questions:

  1. Was this thought helping me become the best version of myself?

  2. Or was it holding me back?

If the thought is helpful—nurture it.
If the thought is hurtful—challenge it.

Your inner critic may try to convince you not to look too closely but awareness is where change begins.

Sometimes the courage to examine our thoughts is exactly the moment where growth starts.

Remember:
Fear might just be your signal that it’s GO TIME.

The Root System of Your Life

When we look at a tree, we admire what we can see—the height, the branches, the leaves reaching toward the sunlight.

But the true strength of the tree exists below the surface.

Its roots.

The same is true in our lives.

Our habits, behaviours, and results are simply the visible branches of something deeper—our thoughts.

If we want different habits…
If we want different behaviours…
If we want different results…

We must be willing to examine what’s happening beneath the surface.

The thoughts we plant today become the roots that shape the life we grow tomorrow.

Cheering you on,
Missy

P.S. Many of the women I work with—both athletes and professionals—are incredibly capable people who have simply been listening to the wrong thoughts for too long. When they learn how to notice, challenge, and reshape those thoughts, their confidence and habits begin to change in powerful ways.  Connect with me HERE to schedule an inquiry call to see if my One-on-One coaching might benefit you.  

Newsletter
Developer Designer
Previous

When I was so Stubborn, I Passed Out
Next

You’re the Least Experienced in the Room - SHOW UP ANYWAY