Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

(Quote by Robert Louis Stevenson)

It’s natural to go from R.L. Stevenson’s advice to a talk on “you reap what you sow.” And that’s certainly a valid bridge to travel.

A closer look, though, and it’s apparent that the focus of Stevenson’s message here concerns how to judge the day. And I think it goes beyond admonishment to do good deeds.

Let’s look at it from a different angle.

How do you judge the day?

If I pay careful attention to my diet today, if I avoid overeating and limit my intake to wholesome foods… but at the end of the day, the scales don’t show significant weight loss… have I failed?

If I attend a morning Yoga class, then go to the gym for an hour of weights and treadmill, but I still don’t sport six-pack abs… was that time a waste?

What if I do my very best today to be kind and considerate… but a coworker gets upset with me, my boss yells at me, and my children ignore me? Should I stop being nice and start being mean to people?

If I judge my day by the observed results, it would seem that eating well, exercising, and being kind aren’t worth the effort.

Yet, I know from experience that daily effort, over time, can make a HUGE difference in my life.

Challenge: The next time you’re tempted to say, “What’s the use in trying?,” remember there’s plenty of use in trying.

(The truth is, there’s no other way to get to where you want to go.)

Roadturn Principle: If you want to have what others don’t, you have to do what others won’t.

Let’s talk about it…