I saw a cartoon the other day that featured two vendors, each with a sign on their booth. The first sign said “Results” and had a really long line. The second sign said “Hard Work Leading to Results” and had maybe one or two people in the line. And that reminded me of a James Clear quote that I’d saved on my phone (if you haven’t read Atomic Habits, put it on your summer reading list):
“Two years, not two months.
The visible progress you are hoping for usually comes slower than you’d like. Even with consistent effort it can take a long time before the progress feels significant. It might be a year of writing and editing before the book really comes together. You may need two years of recovery from a major injury before you notice just how far you’ve come. It may take two years of yoga before you realize how flexible you’ve become.
Take a deep breath, stop worrying about immediate results, and settle into a nice routine.”
We hate to hear that, don’t we? All of us are guilty of wanting the results now, no matter how many times we hear about how important the journey is. And it really applies to all aspects of life. Whether it is our career, a hobby, or recovering from something that has happened to us. Everything takes time. Want to lose weight and get in shape? It’s going to take time. Want to become a champion pickle-baller? Time. Even gardening takes time to learn. Your first time out may not be successful. With experience, you learn the nuances of soil, watering, pruning, mulching, trimming, deadheading, and all of the little things that go into creating a beautiful garden and bountiful harvests.
Given a choice, our human minds want the results over the hard work to get results, but in the end, it is about the journey. It’s slowly and consistently learning along the way. And while we can’t help you get in shape (although Yoga in the Garden is coming up on August 2nd and that’s a start) and we can’t teach you pickleball (mountain biking and rowing I could help you with), we can guide you on your gardening journey. So no matter whether you are two months in, two years in, or two decades in, when you have questions or need guidance, we are here for you and are happy to share our experiences to help you on your path to creating the garden of your dreams.
P.S. Just in case you were wondering, Maddy does read the newsletter each week, and she was thrilled with her surprise! There were definitely some shrieks and screams of joy!
