You Reap What You Sow

There is an old principle: You reap what you sow. In fact, it is about as natural of a principle as you can get. When you put an apple seed into the ground, you always get an apple tree. You reap what you sow.

Even as this principle works in nature, it also works in our businesses, schools and organizations. Everything that we do is what we are sowing. And while we may not see immediate gains or gratification from our actions, it is true that eventually we will. Some time in the future, the totality of our actions and words will amount to something.

I want to give us a few ideas to chew on in regard to what we sow and how we can reap the benefit or reap from it in the future. People. Ultimately, our enterprises involve people, whether it is those who sell to us, our employees, or our clients. What are you sowing in regard to those people? Are you sowing good will? Are you sowing a caring attitude? Are you sowing to their interests over your own? As you do these things, I believe you will reap a tremendous harvest. People will genuinely like and appreciate you, and people do business with people they genuinely like and appreciate. When you fail, and you will from time to time, people will be much more forgiving if you have sown properly.

Product.

Whether we have something tangible or not, we all have some product that others purchase or use. Are you sowing excellence in your product? Are you sowing longevity? Are you sowing reliability and dependability? As you sow these things people will come back for more of the same, as well as other products you offer. You will reap their loyalty and their return. You will also reap a good reputation as word gets out on what you have sown into other's lives.

Charity.

I believe that every enterprise ought to have as a foundational value that it will be charitable. That in some way, be it large or small, they will give back. Are you sowing to your community? Are you sowing of your time, money or energy? As you do, you will reap three primary things.

First, a better community.

Second, you will reap a deep sense of satisfaction that your community is better because you gave something back to it.

Third, people will want to do business with you because they know that part of their business will in turn benefit their community. Sow some good stuff this week. And you'll reap the benefit later!

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams.

To see Chris "live" at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on the subject of Secrets of Influence go to http://Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.

MORE RESOURCES:

A ball of inspirational predictability - Surrey Now

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0i-0fd=Rurl=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/10/09/view-before-viewing-the-express/cid=1255039742ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNG17luz6goHVVSVejzWnNbTEgAJ8gimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=BCqQmA44bAsJimgurl=moviesblog.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/100908_theexpress.jpg width=80 height=60 alt= border=1brfont size=-2MTV.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/surreynow/news/whatson/story.html%3Fid%3Dd1e67b7b-a2d4-47fd-a143-e4b599cfc116cid=1255039742ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNHkbyE4MYyg5PU_JYkwFPk0lZgrfAA ball of binspirational/b predictability/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSurrey Now,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b Gary Fleder#39;s extensive use of close-ups. bInspirational/b? Check. Predictable? Yep. But The Express is a safe bet for sports fans and non-cynics alike./fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-1fd=Rurl=http://www.dailyherald.com/story/%3Fid%3D241604cid=1255039742ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNH6fw1qzZoQYIJUw0XKN9sHIhD_6wFootball drama a genuine binspirational/b tale/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrChicago Daily Herald/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-2fd=Rurl=http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/tickermaster/listing.cfm%3FtmID%3D2818cid=1255039742ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNGquG1l9FWHskSgPpbZMG0k1NIA_AThe Express/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBox Office Prophets/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-3fd=Rurl=http://www.ecollegetimes.com/news/2008/10/09/Movies/Review.The.Express-3479781.shtmlcid=1255039742ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNHlN3sdt8phJkaSYJlgB2JCsHTgMgReview: The Express/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCollege Times/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-4fd=Rurl=http://urbanmecca.net/news/%3Fp%3D4278cid=1255039742ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNFz9Mld820tf-W-K7SvbBwc0hR__wnobrUrbanMecca/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/0-5fd=Rurl=http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/custom/today/bal-to.express10oct10,0,3109342.storycid=1255039742ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNGnYZM7s4FYmpyrUiL5pADgixJ7JwnobrBaltimore Sun/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255039742hl=ennobrall 455 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Marriage supporters#39; fundraiser brings inspirational film ... - Sioux Falls Argus Leader

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/1-0fd=Rurl=http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article%3FAID%3D/20081011/LIFE/810110312/1004cid=0ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNHYmqaXH54monmARNe68JQLms9CaQMarriage supporters#39; fundraiser brings binspirational/b film b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSioux Falls Argus Leader,nbsp;SDnbsp;-/font nobr7 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Moviegoers can credit a group interested in promoting healthy marriages for bringing the binspirational/b movie quot;Fireproofquot; to Sioux Falls for a weeklong b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

A new generation of icky, angsty, inspirational books for teens ... - Calgary Herald

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/swerve/story.html%3Fid%3D0982c085-420c-4b1d-a095-2f284714da1ccid=0ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNGfpFWk1qOKXsJ3AwOzhcuG8uaTWAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=82qOA1jEwUEJimgurl=a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/media.canada.com/idl/cahr/20081010/128316-46511.jpg%3Fsize%3Dl width=80 height=80 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Calgary Herald/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/2-0fd=Rurl=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/swerve/story.html%3Fid%3D0982c085-420c-4b1d-a095-2f284714da1ccid=0ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNGfpFWk1qOKXsJ3AwOzhcuG8uaTWAA new generation of icky, angsty, binspirational/b books for teens b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fCalgary Herald,nbsp; Canadanbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Sure, they text and they Twitter and they play way too much Wii. But all those twitchy, tormented adolescent souls are still able to lose--and then b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

#39;Inspirational#39; Blackburn mum-of-seven dies, 34 - Lancashire Telegraph

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/3-0fd=Rurl=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/3748208._Inspirational__Blackburn_mum_of_seven_dies__34/cid=1256390049ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNHUewA0MMC7_m9k_MRi9cPtEwcTzg#39;bInspirational/b#39; Blackburn mum-of-seven dies, 34/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fLancashire Telegraph,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr6 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By Catherine Pye » Four weeks ago she was given six months to live. Charmaine had drawn up a wish list of things she wanted to do with her final days, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Inspirational Speaker Teaches Students the Value of “Zing!” - St. John's University

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/4-0fd=Rurl=http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/pr_aca_081010.stjcid=0ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNGeJn4Ch9csXL3w7EQWV49MWmY_qgbInspirational/b Speaker Teaches Students the Value of “Zing!”/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fSt. John's University,nbsp;NYnbsp;-/font nobr23 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1b.../b Your Influence and was featured in the motivational speaker compilation Lessons from the Road: bInspirational/b Insights by Leading Speakers in Education. b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

#39;Without a Quarter in My Pocket#39;: New Memoir Chronicles Cuban ... - MarketWatch

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/without-quarter-my-pocket-new/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B7C5AD198-AAD6-412F-ADE8-009ABF5FBDE2%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1255491471ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNG1llP93iGFra7GvcHTW2ga0XCqNg#39;Without a Quarter in My Pocket#39;: New Memoir Chronicles Cuban b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1SALEM, Ill., Oct 08, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Dr. Secundino E. Rubio#39;s life is a series of binspirational/b stories. From his childhood in pre-Castro b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Pink Is Back And It#39;s The Colour Of Courage And Beating Breast Cancer - Glasgow Daily Record

Demure look for inspirational Helen - The Press Association

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jFR4b_x9lQIQO8tJg_TmOKWyq_JAcid=1255308338ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNG6x9mXnhH8PFbGQQe7cnjblppvUwDemure look for binspirational/b Helen/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Press Associationnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Actress Dame Helen Mirren looked unusually demure when she collected an award for her fashion sense. Dame Helen, who is known for her love of revealing b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Concert event was inspirational - Packet Online

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/10/09/windsor_hights_herald/your_views/doc48ee728cb4bc7195032603.txtcid=0ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNFc_QDZkbgkzVT79TVPoLzybV8SnAConcert event was binspirational/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPacket Online,nbsp;NJnbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Having the world-renowned recorder player from the Netherlands, Marion Verbruggen, appear the Slowdown Café in Hightstown in a concert with full proceeds to b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

‘Inspirational’ visit to North Wales - Daily Post

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2008/10/09/inspirational-visit-to-north-wales-55578-21996564/cid=0ei=TLLwSKDJNZPK8ASezdS_Bwusg=AFQjCNH3MJzjMBtDgJ1UJl3oYpc1sb_Ptw‘bInspirational/b’ visit to North Wales/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fDaily Post,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobrOct 9, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Speaking to the Daily Post last night, he said his North Wales visits had been “binspirational/b.” The Time to Talk – Time to Listen Tour is into its second b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Inspirational - Google News

RELATED ARTICLES

Fighting Grief: The Time To Show You Care
The news came as a shock to us all. He who had been ill for days had been taken to the hospital.

5 Things That Americans Can Do To Remember Reviving, Surviving and Thriving in the Wake of Sept 11
For those people who lost friends and loved ones in the September 11th World Trade Center attacks, the anniversary will re-open the wounds and renew the pain of great loss.� For the rest of us, it is a painful reminder of our vulnerability.

What We Believe We Create - Love is the Creation
I once was told by the Angels that our concept of Love would fit on the head of a straight pin and the size of the Universe and more is the love that is felt for us by God and the Angels. If this is so, and I believe that it is .

Principles That Govern My Life
The strength and durability of a building is found in its foundation. The same is true in a life.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Whoever coined this phrase is a genius.Life finds ways to dish out exactly this- the good the bad and the ugly.

Silence Inside
Silence means no voice input of any sort. What happens when there is silence? We cannot hear anything from the outside, but the voices inside are what we hear pretty clearly.

Live After 40
"For man, as a specie, and unlike other inhabitants of the globe, does not just ravage mindlessly the planet of its bounties in order to survive. He endeavours to leave behind legacies of the application of his mind.

Trusting Yourself and Others
How come, as women, we always second-guess ourselves? Are we not confident to choose a mate that has the characteristics of what we yearn for or start and operate a business that we have a passion for? Who can you trust?For most of my teenage and adult years, I'd sit in front of my computer going over a wish-list of things to accomplish before growing old. Unfortunately, others tried to degrade my dreams, dissolve my opinions, and demean my competency.

Its Not Always About the Benjamins, Baby
Often when I receive emails from this list with folks,Telling me that they have discovered their life'spurpose but they don't have the money to do whatthey need to start living their purpose.Please, please, please do not let your lack of moneystand in the way of you living the life that God hasplanned for you to live.

Energy Work Basics Part 1: So What is Energy?
Everything is made of energy. Atoms, molecules, light, sound and color have energy.

Need for a Belief System: A System of Organization for Your Experiences!
I've spoken with many people who, over time, have felt inundated by their lives. It seems as though they've accumulated all of these memories and experiences, but the information seems jumbled and overwhelming.

Who is the Pilot?
It was a mild summer day in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina when I boarded United Airline flight 7318 to Washington, DC. Like usual, I promptly located my window seat, with no doubts that the pilots would safely take me to my destination.

Being An Adult
I have always thought that grandparents were the icons of wisdom, the "go to" person with he answers, the epitome of patience.When I was young, I often thought, "When I grow up, I want to be like Grandpa".

Game-Set-Match
Direct Answers - Column for the week of July 21, 2003I don't know whether to call it jealousy or insecurity. My husband and I have been married almost 30 years.

Do You Feel Headed For Shipwreck?
The ocean liner Achille Lauro sailed perpetually under a dark cloud. In 1953 it collided with another ship.

Don't Let the Boogeyman Steal Your Dreams
The boogeyman lurking in the closet scares the bejesus out of little kids. "Big people" know the imaginary monster from their childhood isn't real.

Embracing Your Wildness
As small children, we were all wild. Not unlike the wolf pup in the den, we ran when we felt like it, sniffed or tasted things to see what they were, yelled when the mood struck us and danced at the drop of a hat.

Beluga Whale Hits the River
Wonders never cease. Just when those in our area of the Delaware River were beginning to recover from the recent floods, a whale arrives to shake things up.

True Inner Guidance
It's easy to tell the difference between true inner guidance (spirit) and ego-driven guidance: the first is attended with Love and the second with Fear.True inner guidance will always draw you into something that you are desiring or want to be, do or have.

Quest for Freedom--A Story Of Pure Courage
The Nazis stormed into the house of Stanislavsky Lech, who was Jewish, herded the entire family out at gunpoint, packed them into an overcrowded train, filled with the stench of death and despair, and sent them to Krakow.Then, before his eyes, Lech saw his entire family shot.