THE SEED → FOREST DIAGNOSTIC
Below is a clean, usable diagnostic tool you can use as a:
- solopreneur
- founders
- teams
- retreat leaders
It answers one question with brutal clarity:
“Where am I actually stuck — and why?”
No motivation.
No fixing.
Just orientation.
THE SEED → FOREST DIAGNOSTIC
Where am I stuck right now?
Use this as a self-assessment, a coaching tool, or a team reflection.
👉 Rule:
You are not stuck everywhere.
You are stuck at one dominant stage.
Growth resumes the moment you stabilise that layer.
🌱 1. SEED — ESSENCE & CALLING
Symptoms you’re stuck here:
- You keep changing direction
- You’re consuming more than creating
- You feel inspired but unclear
- You say yes to things that don’t feel right
- You can’t explain what you do simply
Diagnostic questions:
- Can I express my essence in one sentence without explaining?
- Do I know who I’m here to serve — not everyone?
- Is my work rooted in lived experience or borrowed language?
Truth:
You don’t need a new strategy.
You need identity clarity.
Prescription:
- Strip it back to one truth
- One problem you care enough to solve
- One transformation you embody
Don’t grow yet. Clarify.
🌱 2. ROOTS — INNER WORLD & REGULATION
Symptoms you’re stuck here:
- You’re productive but tired
- Money comes but peace doesn’t
- You feel “on edge” most days
- Boundaries are weak or inconsistent
- Your body is sending signals you’re ignoring
Diagnostic questions:
- Is my nervous system mostly regulated day to day?
- Can I rest without guilt?
- Do I have a daily rhythm that nourishes me?
- Am I living the 12 Medicines — or teaching them?
Truth:
You’re trying to grow without containment.
Prescription:
- Pause outward expansion
- Rebuild daily rhythm
- Prioritise sleep, breath, nature, boundaries
Your business cannot outgrow your nervous system.
🌱 3. SPROUT — FIRST CREATION
Symptoms you’re stuck here:
- You’re overthinking your offer
- You keep “refining” but not releasing
- You’re waiting to feel ready
- You compare yourself constantly
- You have ideas but no proof of life
Diagnostic questions:
- Have I released anything real yet?
- Is there a simple way someone can work with me today?
- Am I hiding behind preparation?
Truth:
This is fear disguised as perfection.
Prescription:
- Create one imperfect offering
- Share one honest message
- Let reality give you feedback
Creation creates clarity.
🌳 4. TRUNK — STRUCTURE & SAFETY
Symptoms you’re stuck here:
- You’re busy but overwhelmed
- Your calendar feels heavy
- You’re always “catching up”
- Clients drain you
- Income is inconsistent despite effort
Diagnostic questions:
- Do I have clear offers and pricing?
- Is my calendar designed or reactive?
- Are my boundaries explicit or assumed?
- Do I feel safer because of my systems?
Truth:
You don’t need more effort.
You need structure.
Prescription:
- Simplify offers
- Clean your calendar
- Install boundaries that protect energy
Structure is not limitation. It is liberation.
🌿 5. BRANCHES — EXPRESSION & VISIBILITY
Symptoms you’re stuck here:
- You’re inconsistent with content
- Visibility feels forced or draining
- You don’t know what to say anymore
- Engagement feels flat
- You’re trying too many platforms
Diagnostic questions:
- Is my message clear internally?
- Am I expressing truth or performing?
- Are my roots and trunk stable enough for visibility?
Truth:
Visibility problems are usually clarity problems.
Prescription:
- Reduce channels
- Return to your core story
- Speak from lived coherence, not strategy
Visibility is an extension of inner clarity.
🍃 6. LEAVES — TRANSFORMATION & VALUE
Symptoms you’re stuck here:
- You have clients but no clear outcomes
- Testimonials feel vague
- You’re unsure if you’re really helping
- You’re doing too much for clients
- Results vary wildly
Diagnostic questions:
- Do I clearly define the transformation I offer?
- Are my clients more regulated after working with me?
- Do I document real wins and feedback?
Truth:
You may be over-serving and under-structuring.
Prescription:
- Clarify outcomes
- Tighten delivery
- Let clients do their part
Your clients’ results are the health signal of your ecosystem.
🍎 7. FRUIT — ABUNDANCE & INCOME
Symptoms you’re stuck here:
- Income is inconsistent
- You’re undercharging
- You feel guilty receiving money
- Growth feels stressful
- Abundance feels fragile
Diagnostic questions:
- Does money arrive without constant pushing?
- Is my pricing aligned with my energy?
- Do I trust my value?
Truth:
Abundance issues usually trace back to Roots or Trunk, not worth.
Prescription:
- Revisit regulation and structure
- Adjust pricing to sustainability
- Remove scarcity timelines
You don’t chase fruit. You tend the system.
🌲 8. FOREST — ECOSYSTEM & LEGACY
Symptoms you’re stuck here:
- Everything depends on you
- You can’t step away
- You want impact but feel alone
- Growth feels heavy
- You’re tired of being the centre
Diagnostic questions:
- Can this run without me?
- Am I developing leaders or dependents?
- Is my work bigger than my identity?
Truth:
You’ve outgrown doing it alone.
Prescription:
- Invite collaboration
- Build systems others can steward
- Shift from operator to gardener
Legacy begins when the system no longer needs you at the centre.
HOW TO USE THIS DIAGNOSTIC (IMPORTANT)
- Do not choose multiple stages
- Choose the one that feels slightly uncomfortable but true
- Work only there for 30–90 days
- Ignore the rest
Growth resumes naturally when the stuck layer stabilises.
THE META-DIAGNOSTIC (THIS IS GOLD)
If you feel stuck everywhere, the issue is almost always:
👉 Roots (nervous system + lifestyle alignment)
Fix that — and everything else moves.
THE ENTIRE DIAGNOSTIC IN ONE LINE
“Don’t push the system forward — stabilise the layer that’s wobbling.”