If you focus on growth, the harvest will come.

Share this post

“Not seeing results? Feel like giving up? Consider this: The last thing to grow on a fruit tree… is the fruit.”

Author Unknown

If you plant an apple seed today then it will take 6 – 8 years for the tree to grow and then begin to produce fruit. Does this mean you shouldn’t plant the tree? Water and care for the tree? Skip the hard work along way while waiting for the tree to mature to the point where it is capable of producing apples?

Consider this. When an apple tree does mature, and begin to deliver on the vision you had when you first planted it, it can grow 2-5 BUSHELS of apples PER YEAR. That’s a lot of apples.

The moral of the story is this. In our “everything now” world sometimes we get focused on eating an apple RIGHT THIS MINUTE. However, focusing on the right now might cause you to miss out on the incredible fruit that is just around the corner.

The ability we each have to deliver on our potential, and produce bushels of output impacting the lives of others, will come through disciplined focus and care on growth process, not on the fruit itself. The fruit is the result you achieve by not giving up on your dreams when the work is hard and you can’t see past the near term challenges.

If we don’t lose focus and hope we will mature and grow and learn to produce fruit for the world to consume in quantities which greatly exceed our current capacities. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

apple tree
Photo by Kaboompics com on Pexelscom
author avatar
Dusty Holcomb

Share this post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Join the newsletter and never miss a post.

Get Dusty’s leadership wisdom and blog posts straight to your inbox.

Related posts

A group of children carefully planting young seedlings in a garden bed, illustrating the importance of nurturing growth over time. Just like leadership, growth requires patience, care, and the willingness to cultivate potential in others before the harvest is visible.
Uncategorized

Spring: A Season for Planting a New Leadership Growth Mindset

“Spring is far more than just a changing of seasons; it’s a rebirth of the spirit.” Toni Sorenson Spring is ...
Read More
"Runners in a marathon symbolize resilience and the will to win, embodying leadership principles of perseverance, self-discipline, and focusing on what you can control. This image reflects the key themes from 'The Will to Win: How to Build a Legacy That Lasts,' reinforcing the message that success is about mindset, effort, and endurance.
Uncategorized

The Will to Win: How to Build a Legacy That Lasts

“The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel, are the things that endure. These qualities are so ...
Read More
A lone figure stands on a rocky ledge, gazing into a foggy, open landscape—symbolizing uncertainty, self-reflection, and the journey to overcoming doubt.
Growth

Doubt is Lying to You: How to Reclaim Your Confidence and Take Bold Action

Overcoming doubt isn’t about waiting until you feel ready—it’s about recognizing the lies it tells you and moving forward anyway. Doubt will keep you stuck ...
Read More

Join the Newsletter

Sign up for Dusty’s daily leadership inspiration in your inbox.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.