I have a plant in my office. I inherited it 25 years ago from a coworker who was leaving the company and moving to Canada. I don’t think she was dodging the draft. If I remember correctly, she had a thing for men in uniform on horses. And Tim Horton’s.
The plant in my office hasn’t been faring well.
To be fair, I have been watering the plant just enough to keep it alive.
As a result, it looks like a plant that has been watered just enough to keep it alive. Like the office plant version of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
But a couple of months ago I altered my plant care routine.
I committed to watering the plant every day. Or at least every day that I was in the office.
And an interesting thing happened.
By day three, I saw a noticeable difference in the plant’s posture. The spindly little fella stood taller. The leaves looked fuller. And prouder. And chlorophyllier.
By day five, I noticed a new leaf beginning to grow and unfurl.
And then another.
And then another.
As I have continued to water, dozens of new leaves have emerged and added a great deal of canopy to this once-struggling office mate of mine.
It’s like I was feeding the little guy plant Rogaine.
Today, the plant is thriving. It is providing more beauty, more greenery, and more oxygen in my office.
But more importantly, it is providing a valuable lesson.
My plant has reminded me that there is a major difference between living and thriving.
The plant serves as a daily reminder that you can put the minimum effort into your relationships and get the minimum out. Or you can pour as much as you can into your most valuable relationships every day and watch them thrive.
The plant’s regeneration also reminds me that when you put more into your health, fitness, spiritual life, passions, career, business and financial well-being, you get more out of all of them. That’s a heck of a valuable lesson to relearn from an adopted office plant and a daily dose of water.
Key Takeaway
To get more out of life, put more in. Pour more into your valued relationships, your health, and your professional endeavors. And watch them all thrive. Pour more into your faith, and God knows what will happen. And don’t forget to water your plants. Because the things you take care of take care of you.
*If you know someone who could benefit from this message, please share it with them.
+For more of the best life lessons I have learned check out my book, What Does Your Fortune Cookie Say? from Ripples Media.
Adam Albrecht Blog 