What You Water Will Grow

This weekend, I was a bit sad as I started pulling up my garden. The end of the growing season means colder weather, not being to be outside in the near future, and having to wait probably close to 6 months to start a new crop. However, I couldn’t help but reflect on how this year was my best garden yet. It wasn’t luck or better soil or perfect weather—it was time. Because of my retirement, I was able to put in more care, more attention, and more consistency of time to the garden than I ever had before. I weeded more often, watered regularly, and kept an eye out for small problems before they became big ones. The result? An overabundance of produce—so much, in fact, that I’ve been able to share it with neighbors, friends, and family.

The process reminded me that growth, in any form, doesn’t happen by accident. Whether it’s a garden, building a positive relationship with someone, increasing the capacity of a team, or creating a better career, what you invest in will flourish. When you show up consistently, tend to the details, and care about the outcome, things grow—sometimes in ways you didn’t expect.

Just like in gardening, there are tough days in life when the weeds or lack of results seem to win or the heat and obstacles feel overwhelming. But those are the days when showing up matters most. The more consistent you are in showing up, the better your results will be. If you take 365 days in a year and increase your work and positive habits over time, the averaging out of your effort and commitment will increase as well. Growth isn’t always visible right away—it’s happening under the surface, in roots and foundations that will eventually bear fruit.

This simple truth applies beyond the garden:

• In relationships: When you listen, check in, and show appreciation to those around you, connections deepen.

• At work or in coaching: When you focus on developing people, not just achieving results, your culture grows.

• In personal growth: When you focus your efforts every day on healthy habits, positive encouragement to yourself and others, as well as patience, you’ll see steady progress.

I love a quote that I have used in presentations to groups by author Robert Louis Stevenson in which he said, “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” The seeds you tend today—through effort, kindness, and care—will eventually yield the results you’re hoping for, even though you don’t see those results immediately.

We all have areas in our lives that need watering—goals, friendships, family, or even self-care. The key is identifying what matters most and giving it the attention it deserves. Because neglect and distraction will dry up even the most promising seeds.

As my garden season ends, I’m reminded that the joy isn’t just in the harvest—it’s in the daily effort, the quiet mornings using the watering hose or pulling weeds, and the satisfaction of watching growth happen over time.

As we move through this changing of the seasons, take time to notice what you’re watering. The people, projects, and priorities that get your time and energy will grow. The ones left unattended will fade. Choose wisely, stay patient, and remember that steady care produces lasting results—both in gardens and in life.

I found this quote from author Napoleon Hill that puts it best: “The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does.” Growth rewards effort, and what you water—with consistency and heart—will eventually thrive.

Have a great week!

Coach K