A Letter from Chris Suarez

A WALK IN THE WOODS

I spent some time in the woods today.  And by “some time” I mean the entire day. I walked in the woods, I ran in the woods, I read in the woods, I climbed in the woods, I ate in the woods, and I slept in the woods.  

If you tried to reach me today, I apologize. I was only taking calls from the woods today. There were a lot of those, as long as I listened and was willing to take the call.

Being in the woods wasn’t necessarily on the agenda for today but certain days you need to clear the agenda to open your mind in order to solve some problems.  

Daniel Meyers founder of Shake Shack and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group shared some recent advice from his grandfather in an interview.  He said that if he ever began to complain about the struggles or problems he was facing while growing his restaurant businesses his grandfather would tell him, “Stop complaining about problems in business. The people who do best in business aren’t the ones without any problems. They’re the ones that solve the problems the best, have the most fun doing it, with the best people.”

Since I first heard it, that statement has been both confirming and defining.

That statement confirmed for me that right now I am solving the right problems with the right people. I am convinced and confirmed that I get to wake up every day and solve incredible problems, with the best people, and I am having fun doing it. 

I have also decided to let it define for me my yes. This statement acts as a very good “test for yes”.  Before I say yes to any problem that needs solving (often masquerading as an opportunity) I will place that problem up against these three questions:

Am I the best person to solve this problem?

Do I have the best people to solve the problem with me?  

Will I have fun solving this problem?

Often times our struggles or frustrations or burnout comes not from lack of success but rather from too much success.  As we are successful in solving one problem we incorrectly believe we can solve all problems and we find ourselves falling into the success pit.  Our success leads to overconfidence which leads to taking on projects outside of our true north.  In fact, before we know it we aren’t just going East and West, but we find ourselves headed due South.  By nature of the fact that others see your success, they also bring you their problems to solve and you incorrectly say yes.  Before you know it you are buried in this success pit by problems you are ill equipped to solve, with people you don’t enjoy being around, suddenly waking up convinced you are not having fun doing what you do anymore.  

The lesson here?  Run the “test for yes” before saying it.  Before saying yes, define the yes by asking the three questions.  Better than that, reconfirm where in life you have said yes already and make sure you are the best person to solve the problem, with the best people working with you to solve it, always making sure you have fun on the journey to the solution.

Now, back to the woods.  As I spent time in the woods I was able to clear my head.    

As of today, there is not a business I own without a partner. And as of today I am proud to be in business with every one of the partners that I chose and that chose me.  That doesn’t mean I have always chosen perfectly.  It was just this past Friday afternoon that I was incredibly disappointed by a past partner.  It is that disappointment involving people that is hardest for me.  Disappointment anywhere in life can be both discouraging and paralyzing.

So I confirmed quickly that I was currently solving incredible problems, with the best people, and having fun doing it.  And then I decided to spend the day in the woods.

We all get into business with people that we believe will always do the right thing.  “The right thing” isn’t perspective, or opinion.  Doing the right thing is never gray.  Doing “the right thing” is black and white. My current partners and I don’t always see eye to eye.  We have difficult conversations, we make difficult decisions together, we feel difficult emotions at times.  We have wildly different perspectives and opinions.  And I love that.  We are partners because of that.  But we always do the right thing.  When someone chooses not to do the right thing, they are immediately a former partner.  Doing the wrong thing isn’t simply making a mistake.  As you all know, we are good at and good with mistakes around here.  When a former partner doesn’t “do the right thing,” even if we haven’t been partners for months or even years, it is still difficult for me to see, experience, or believe.  This past Friday afternoon was that kind of experience.  And if you haven’t had that feeling yet, don’t worry, you will.  By nature of the fact that you are out solving problems with other people it will happen. And it means your work has purpose, you are taking risks, you are partnering with people, and you are learning.

When that does happen, I find it best for me to spend some time in the woods.  As I stopped to research why trees seem to provide me with so many answers, I came across some incredible studies.  As it turns out, trees are constantly releasing a chemical called phytoncides.  They do this, not for you and I, but rather for themselves.  Phyton" means "plant" in Latin, and "cide" means to exterminate. These phytoncides are produced to help plants & trees protect themselves from harmful insects and germs.  Studies now show that these phytoncides however can solve all your problems!  Well, maybe not all of them, but here are just a few benefits of forest therapy.

Phytoncides lower levels of cortisol, slower heart rates, lower blood pressure, and drive greater activity of parasympathetic nerves that promote relaxation.  Yes please.

Phytoncides improve immunity.  A study done in Japan tracked a large cross section of people that spent controlled time in in the woods.   Before, during, and after three different day trips to the forest researchers measured the number and activity levels of natural and beneficial killer cells (immune cells that kill cancer cells in the body), anti-cancer proteins including granulysin, granzymes, and perforin, as well as levels of stress hormones.  On the days that they had forest walks their level of stress hormones decreased, their anti-cancer proteins increased, and their natural killer cells activity increased to fight disease. Yes please.

Phytoncides increase focus.  In a world filled with distraction and at time disappointments, researchers and doctors alike have found that the forest drives attention and focus.  Researchers at University of Illinois found that the forest had surprising affects on attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.  Let’s be honest, all entrepreneurs have a bit of attention deficit and hyperactivity.  Researchers concluded that the forest drove results comparable to the effects of Ritalin.  Yes please.

Physical health, emotional health, mental health, and business health?  Yes please.

Now let’s be clear, the benefits of a walk in the woods isn’t just simply related to a chemical.  Forest bathing (as Oregonians like to call it) is so good for the mind and body because of the sheer magnitude and beauty of the trees, the sounds of the birds and animals, the smells of the plants and earth.  It has the power to shift our perspective, provide clarity, increase both our energy and calm, and deliver the white space, or in the case green space, that we all need in our lives.

My wish for you this week?  Take a walk in the woods.