There’s something interesting about this tree.

For some people, when they see it, they may think it’s dead. Irrelevant. Broken. On the verge of dying. That it no longer serves a purpose… and maybe should be cut down.

I’m no arborist. But when I look at it, through my lens as a resilience expert, I see something very different. I see something that has endured something incredibly challenging—something strong enough to force it to bend.

I see adaptation. I see a new purpose. Maybe it now offers shelter in a different way. Maybe it creates refuge for animals that wouldn’t have found it before. It’s still growing. Still blossoming. Leaves are still coming in. It’s still thriving—just in a different way.

And it got me thinking about the journey so many leaders are on right now. Trying to find their relevance. Carving a new, meaningful path within their current roles. Or quietly asking themselves… what could my next chapter look like?