Roots Before Branches
Lea Michele and Cory Monteith Lyrics

So many things
There are many things I want to do and say

To do and say
I have plans and goals for the future

But I can't seem
However, I am having trouble achieving them

To find the way
I cannot seem to find the right path towards my goals

But I wanna know how
I am determined to find out how I can achieve my goals

I know
I have a feeling

I'm meant
That I am destined

For something else
For something greater

But first
But before I can achieve that

I gotta find myself
I need to figure out who I am as a person

But I don't know how
Even though I am determined, I don't know where to begin

Oh, why do
Why do I

I reach for the stars
I set high goals for myself

When I don't have wings
But I don't yet have the necessary skills or resources to accomplish them

To carry me that far?
So why do I set such high expectations for myself without being realistic?

I gotta have
I must have

Roots before branches
I need to establish a foundation before reaching for my goals

To know who I am
In order to know my true identity

Before I know
Before I am aware

Who I wanna be
Of who I ultimately want to become

And faith
And trust in myself

To take chances
To be willing to take risks

To live like I see
To live the way I envision

A place in this world
To find my purpose and my role in the world

Sometimes
At times

I don't wanna feel
I don't want to experience certain emotions

(Sometimes I don't wanna feel)

And forget the pain
And disregard any hardship

Is real
That exists

(And forget the pain is real)

Put my head
I attempt to ignore reality

In the clouds
And live without a grasp on reality

Oh, start to run
I start to make progress

And then I fall
But I face obstacles and fail

(start to run and then I fall)

Thinking
Believing

I can't get it all
That everything is impossible to achieve

Without my feet
Without being grounded

On the ground
In reality and not in dreams

There's always a seed
All things begin small

Before there's a rose
Before anything beautiful can grow

The more that it rains
Adversity only makes us stronger

The more I will grow
And more capable I will be

Whatever comes
No matter what happens

I know how to take it
I am confident in my ability to handle it

Learn to be strong
I continue to develop strength

I won't have to fake it
And do not need to pretend to be something I am not

Oh, you're understandin
Others may understand my struggles

But we can come
And together we can

And do it best
Overcome the difficulties

There ain't nothin'
There is nothing

To stoppin' east to west
That can stop us in our pursuit of success

But I'll still
But even so

Be standing
I will still persevere

(To know who I am)

Before I know
Before I become aware

Who I'm gonna be
Of who I will become in the future

And faith
And trust in myself

To take chances
To be willing to take risks

And live like I see
And live according to my vision

A place in this world
To find my purpose and my role in the world

I gotta have
I must have

Roots before branches
I need to establish a foundation before reaching for my goals

To know who I am
In order to know my true identity

Before I know
Before I become aware

Who I wanna be
Of who I ultimately want to become

And faith
And trust in myself

To take chances
To be willing to take risks

And live like I see
And live according to my vision

A place in this world
To find my purpose and my role in the world

I gotta have
I must have

Roots before branches
I need to establish a foundation before reaching for my goals

Oh yeah
Indeed