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Cart Before the Horse: the Messy Way to Succeed at Life

October 6, 2017                     Cart Before the Horse

Cara O. Frank, L.OM

Updated May 29th 2023

Last Tuesday I treated myself ticket to the Pennsylvania Conference for Women. It was a big sacrifice for me. Usually on Tuesdays, I treat over 20 patients with acupuncture and herbs across a long work day. 

But, Michelle Obama was the keynote speaker (among many other amazing women). I love her and wanted the experience of seeing her speak in person. I also wanted the opportunity to network with other talented women. It was an epic experience, unlike any other I’ve attended. There were 12,500 attendees, almost all women. the keynote speakers were strong and there were many memorable moments. the day was uplifting and I’m glad I gave myself the gift of a day for me. 

One woman, Carla Harris, spoke like a preacher in church. She’s positive and her words resonated with me when she encouraged us to show up, be heard and seen, be unafraid to make mistakes. Shonda Rhimes, the prolific screen writer, spoke of breaking free of “imposter syndrome”, which, no matter how much I achieve in my profession, is feeling I have often experienced. Brené Brown (watch her TED talk on the Power of Vulnerability- it’s only had 6.7 million views) talked about belonging to everything and nothing; to everyone and to no one. Michelle spoke in human terms of balancing work and personal life. She and Shonda spoke of creating strong boundaries between both. Even Michelle Obama was striving to do it right, but not always getting it perfect. (yes! Even her!) 

This led me to reflect on myself, as a practitioner, as a teacher, and as an accidental businesswoman. 

In Chinese herbology, there’s a simple herb: Plantain seeds. The Pin Yin name is Che Qian Zi, which translates to “Cart before the Horse herb”.

Accented pinyin:chē qián zǐ
Unaccented Pinyin:che qian zi
English:plantago seed
 Plantaginis Semen
Simplified Chinese:车前子

We use this gentle herb to clear hear, promote urination, stop diarrhea, brighten the eyes, and transform phlegm.  We often combine it with other seeds to support fertility. 

I say accidental businesswoman because, while, by all measures I am successful, I haven’t always planned things out well. Or at all. Here’s examples of this:

Why this list? Because it reflects my business philosophy, which I’ve come to call “The Cart Before the Horse” method. It means I’ve jumped into many of my life’s work on impulse, with little training. I’ve envisioned goals and pursued them without a clear path. Time and time again, I’ve put the cart before the horse.  And even, with years of experience, as much as I try to ask careful questions, seek expert advice, I am a leader in making BIG FAT MISTAKES. 

I know, from the deepest place in my being, what mistakes mean. My mistakes mean I’ve learned and grown; That I’ve gained knowledge and perspective. And I know- because it’s my habit- that at some point, I’ll Che Qian Zi again and dive head deep into a new challenge without enough research, but that I can make it OK because I’ll bring heart and passion and a vision of a better world. 

What have I learned? I have learned that life is messy and it’s OK to do things imperfectly. My life is pretty imperfect.  It’s better to move forward, keep learning and keep growing than to be paralyzed waiting for a time when everything will be perfect. I have learned to seek advice and counsel and even then- the experts don’t have all the answers. I’ve learned to stay mobilized in the face of fear and insecurity. I know that it’s OK to jump off a cliff and not know where the ground is. I have gained resilience. 

Despite the incredible challenges that I have faced in my personal life and my business life, I have prevailed. I have not wavered from my mission of healing, of sharing knowledge. 

I can bring this mess to my clinic and use these experiences to council my patients. 

With love, 

Cara

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