Success Advice
3 Lessons Plants Can Teach You About Taking Action
What image comes to mind when you think of taking action? Newton’s laws? Gears in machines? Someone intently focused on a task?
How about plants? Yes, they seem simple and slow but action doesn’t need to be flashy to be effective.
Look at us humans, we’re more animated than plants but they’ve been around for millions of years before we arrived. Forms of life that have been around for that long are doing something right and there’s something we can learn from them. Many ancient philosophers studied nature and her creations to model their own lives.
Below we’ll look at three lessons nature can teach you on taking action:
1. A sunflower’s direction
The journey of a plant seed starts in the darkness below the ground surface. After tasting its first drops of water, it’s aided by a hormone called auxin to peek out the soil by moving in the direction of the sun, like a compass set on True North.
Some species, like the sunflower, will keep track of this True North by bending towards the sun until it sets. It will then turn eastwards so that it can catch the sun rise again the next day.
The True North in our own lives is the direction which will bring the highest short-term and long-term gain in our pursuits. Plants can get by with a few goals in life: sunlight, water, minerals etc. But you on the other hand are pulled by a limitless number of competing desires, and by choosing one you cut off all the other options.
The solution is to create a long term life direction or goal which can guide you over long periods of time. This will give you something solid to base your decisions over the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, and help you create consistency to achieve long term-term goals.
“Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life.”
2. A roots stability
Plants gain stability from their roots. Some even stabilize soil and prevent erosion on steep gradients.
Depending on the species and the type of soil they’re in, plant roots vary in how wide and deep they’ll grow. Most only grow a few feet. But some tree researchers have discovered roots growing as far below as 174 feet (53 meters).
Plant roots are like the stability you feel in the environment you’re in – your competence in business, confidence in social life, or skill in keeping physically fit. This stability is affected by your level of certainty. And when your uncertainty rises it becomes harder to take action because we spend more time worrying about what can go wrong.
The solution is to strip ignorance away by learning how the world works. Unlike plants which grow their roots slowly and automatically, you have power over the rate and depth at which you grow your understanding of the world. You can read more books, listen to more audios, and watch more videos in less time than you’re used to.
The more you understand how things work, the more stable and certain you become when taking action towards life goals.
3. A flytraps potential
The venus flytrap is a patient plant. It waits and, like a capacitor, it builds potential energy in its convex-shaped lobes which have small, sensitive hairs that respond to touch. The plant is designed this way to release its built up energy to catch unsuspecting insects in under a second.
Just like this plant, you grow potential energy over time, not by sitting around but by gaining knowledge.
But harnessing your potential is useless if it’s not converted. The reason flytraps build their energy is to survive. They take action when they sense an opportunity arising. The main reason to gather knowledge is to leverage it in achieving your goals to live a better life, not to become book smart.
Life is sprinkled with opportunities and many times you’ll need to have prepared yourself for them by gathering certain skills and knowledge. The next step is converting that potential into mechanical energy by acting on the opportunity. This is how we increase the returns of the knowledge we’ve gained.
“To reach your greatest potential, you’ll have to fight your greatest fears.”
Besides satisfying our hunger or desire to see beauty in nature, plants can give us new perspectives to use in life. Creating direction and stability isn’t easy.
The same goes with spotting and acting on opportunities before they disappear. But with consistency, the natural long-term result is an overall improvement in all three.
Of the three points above, which lesson relates most to a recent life experience of yours? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
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These 11 Habits Will Make You More Productive, Successful, and Confident
Boost your focus, confidence, and results with 11 powerful habits successful people use every day.
Successful people love to help beginners. They have an incredible work ethic and rarely complain. As a result, others naturally look up to them and want to follow in their footsteps.
But here’s the truth: there’s no success without sacrifice. You’ll need to give up comfort, excuses, and sometimes even social approval to accomplish your goals.
Value comes from solving problems, and these 11 powerful tips will help you become more productive, successful, and confident, starting today.
1. Take Short Breaks After Finishing a Task
Psychology shows it’s important to reward positive behaviour.
After completing a big task or finishing a book, take five minutes to walk, stretch, or simply breathe. This quick reset helps your brain recharge and strengthens focus.
Many great writers swear by morning walks, solitude, and reflection can unlock creativity.
But if you refuse to take breaks, don’t be surprised when burnout hits. Your brain needs recovery time just as much as your body does.
2. Schedule Your Most Important Tasks First
Multitasking kills productivity. If you want to get more done, try time blocking, a method where you dedicate set periods for specific tasks.
Productivity expert Caitlin Hughes explains, “Time blocking involves scheduling blocks of time for your tasks throughout the day.”
For example, if you’re a writer:
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Research your topic at night.
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Write your first draft in the morning (don’t worry if it’s rough).
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Edit in the afternoon, great writing comes from rewriting.
You can’t buy more time. Use it intentionally and without regret.
3. Eliminate Distractions from Your Workspace
Focus is the foundation of success.
According to Inc. Magazine, it takes an average of 23 minutes to recover from a distraction. That’s nearly half an hour of lost productivity every time you check your phone.
Put your phone away. Close unnecessary tabs. And yes, limit your Netflix binges.
Meeting deadlines consistently is one of the fastest ways to stand out and earn respect.
4. Take Full Responsibility for Your Life
Entrepreneur Derek Sivers once said, “Everything is my fault.”
This mindset doesn’t mean self-blame; it means self-ownership. Stop pointing fingers, making excuses, or waiting for others to change.
If your habits (like smoking or drinking too much) hold you back, it’s time to make better choices. Your friends can’t live your dreams for you; only you can.
5. Invest an Hour a Day in Learning New Skills
Knowledge compounds over time.
Whether you read books, take online courses, or practise a craft, consistent learning gives you a competitive edge.
I used to struggle with academic writing, but I improved by studying the work of great authors and applying what I learned.
Your past doesn’t define you; your actions do. Every new skill adds another tool to your arsenal and makes you more unstoppable.
6. Develop a Growth Mindset
Psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck introduced the concept of fixed vs. growth mindset.
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A fixed mindset believes success is based on natural talent.
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A growth mindset believes success comes from effort and learning.
Choose the growth mindset. Embrace challenges. See failures as feedback. In today’s fast-moving digital world, adaptability is your biggest advantage.
7. Learn Marketing to Reach People Who Need You
I once believed marketing was manipulative, until I realised it’s about helping people solve problems.
If your work provides genuine value, marketing is how you let others know it exists. Even Apple spends billions on it.
Don’t be ashamed to promote your skills or business. Without visibility, your ideas will never reach the people who need them most.
Creative professionals who understand marketing and sales have an unfair advantage.
8. Ask Your Mentor the Right Questions
Good mentors can fast-track your growth.
While mentorship often costs money, it’s one of the best investments you can make. Great mentors don’t care about titles; they care about your progress.
If you don’t have access to a mentor yet, books are your silent mentors. Read the best in your field, take notes, and apply what resonates.
9. Build Confidence Through Action, Not Affirmations
Author Ryan Holiday once said, “I don’t believe in myself. I have evidence.”
Confidence doesn’t come from shouting affirmations into the mirror; it comes from proof. Doing hard things, keeping promises to yourself, and following through.
When you consistently take action, your brain gathers evidence that you can handle whatever comes next. That’s real confidence, grounded, earned, and unshakable.
10. Focus on Your Strengths
Your strengths reveal where your greatest impact lies.
If people compliment you on something often, it’s a clue. Lean into it.
A former professor once told me I was creative, and that simple comment gave me the confidence to go all in. I studied creativity, applied it daily, and turned it into my career advantage.
Double down on your strengths. That’s how you build momentum and mastery.
11. Identify and Challenge Your Limiting Beliefs
Your beliefs shape your reality.
For years, I believed I couldn’t be a great writer because of my chronic tinnitus and astigmatism, sensory challenges that made concentration difficult. But over time, I realised those struggles made me more disciplined, observant, and empathetic.
Your limitations can become your greatest motivators if you let them.
Avoid shortcuts. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.
Final Thoughts
Becoming productive, successful, and confident isn’t about working harder than everyone else. It’s about working smarter, consistently, and intentionally.
You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small: take a break after your next task, schedule your priorities, or spend one hour learning something new.
Every habit you change compounds into long-term success. Remember, true change comes from practising new behaviours.
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