The Myth of "Bloom Where You Are Planted"

And Career Development of Innovative Physicains

This week, as I wound along Highway 154, the familiar ribbon of road that threads through the hills above Santa Barbara, I saw something stunning, wild poppies blooming in scattered bursts across the hillsides. Their vibrant orange petals glowed in the sunlight like orange lanterns of resilience. But as I looked closer, I thought about something curious: some patches were overflowing with blooms, layered and lush, while other seemingly similar areas sat barren, seeds perhaps lying dormant or never taking root.

It made me think of the phrase so often tossed around in the name of grit and gratitude: “Bloom where you are planted.” It sounds noble and brave, but as I watched the delicate dance of nature’s timing unfold in the chaparral for the first time, I reflected on how deeply one-dimensional this phrase truly is.

A seed’s ability to bloom is not a reflection of its worth but of its context. Let me say that again for anyone judging what is happening in their career. Sometimes we can and are ready to bloom, but our environment is not.

Some seeds land in nutrient-rich soil but arrive too early, when the ground is still cold, unready for growth. Others might be perfect in potential, the environment primed, but the timing of rain or sun is off. Then there are the fortunate few: seed, soil, season, and nature align, and blooming begins. And even then, sometimes a bird or critter eats said seed, rendering it ineffective. This mirrors how we can think more thoughtfully about the different backgrounds that people bring into medicine and how that may impact their ability to flourish. Thriving in adverse climates builds grit and trust in self, and also there is a line to cross where too much adversity breeds loss of confidence. For these reasons, I sometimes wonder about all the wonderful healers who may have stepped away from medical training.

And it struck me, how often do we, especially those of us called to medicine, judge our own pace, our blossoming, without considering the landscape we’ve landed in? Sometimes we are in places that are not "ideal" for us for long periods in our career, and we judge ourselves for not being "further along.” Internal self-talk can be brutal, and we would never say words to a dear friend.

The traditional model of medicine tells us to keep our heads down, follow the rules, and climb the ladder, so to speak. But what if your soul is wired for something different? What if your medicine is to reimagine how healing happens, or to create entirely new care ecosystems? It’s not that you didn’t bloom; the container wasn’t designed for your innovation. Like the hillside where poppies didn't grow, the conditions weren’t aligned at that time to come through. Perhaps another season or another environment would be an entirely other outcome, but that is perhaps where you are now.

To force blooming in the wrong soil can be a kind of harm to the self. As it becomes increasingly clear that what we desire is impossible, there can be shame or judgment of ourselves.

Instead, we can begin to ask a more loving question: What would support me to germinate, to take root, and to thrive in this season or the next? What would be the kindest next step in that journey?

And if it does not feel "good" to be in a fallow field or not germinating, can I pause in my conditioning that I need to be productive in every season of life when even nature has periods of quiet and "rest"?

There is power in being honest about where we are.

Not every moment is meant for flowering.

Sometimes, we are seeds gathering energy. Sometimes, we are digging deep roots. And sometimes, when the land, the light, and the longing all meet, we bloom brilliantly.

Even here, we need to remember that blooming is never permanent, and rooting our happiness in it will lead to more discontent when that season ends.

But it was never just about where we were planted or how big we could bloom.

It was always about listening to when and how we were meant to grow and mindfully determining the next kindest step forward on that journey.

Shared from DrSiriChand.com/Blog