Plant with Purpose
Spring Forward Series – Excellence in Action
This is one of three reflections on how leaders can plant with purpose, prune with courage, and finish the year strong — together. Read also: Plant with Purpose | Prune for Progress | Finish Strong — Together
“Excellence is never an accident — it’s planted on purpose.”
Spring is the season of growth — but growth only happens when you plant with intention. In leadership and in life, it’s easy to be busy — to water everything and wonder why nothing grows. But excellence doesn’t come from frantic activity; it comes from clarity — from knowing what seeds to plant, when, and why.
This reflection is about slowing down, refocusing, and making every action count. It’s about replacing motion with meaning — planting the right seeds in the right soil and remembering that how you do one thing informs how you do everything.
“Excellence is not doing extraordinary things.
Excellence is doing the ordinary extraordinarily well.”
I love this quote because it’s a powerful reminder to ensure everything I do is an expression of who I am — day in and day out. Truthfully, how I do one thing informs how I do everything — at work, at home, and in the world.
I first heard this during a year-long leadership development program with my mentor, Darren Hardy. In that training, Darren said, “The more I chase excellence, the more profitable I become.”
It made me stop and check my motives. Am I consistently focusing on excellence alone, or have I let the outcome I’m striving for — income — become my focus?
To be truly successful, we must focus on purpose, people, and then profits — in that order. When we do, the score takes care of itself. Don’t focus on winning; focus on excellence, and winning will naturally follow.
Spring is a season of growth — but growth only happens when you plant with intention.
In leadership and in life, it’s easy to be busy — to water everything and wonder why nothing grows. But excellence doesn’t come from frantic activity; it comes from clarity — from knowing what seeds to plant, when, and why.
Spring is your annual reminder to slow down, refocus, and make every action count. I ask you: Are you being productive, or just being busy?
As Stephen Covey said,
“The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”
My Story: The MBL Pressure Cooker
I remember a season when my life felt like a juggling act on fire.
I was completing my master’s in business leadership (MBL), working full-time, and trying to be a present husband and father. It felt like everything mattered — until it became clear that not everything could.
At that time, I invested in the SMI program Dynamics of Personal Goal Setting, and it transformed my thinking on how to plan for success with clarity on what was most important to me.
What a year it was — we bought a house, I changed jobs midway through my MBA, became a father, and still managed to deliver my best academic results ever.
The lesson? Planning and mapping what’s essential — and removing distractions — ensures success.
That choice taught me a truth I’ve carried ever since:
You can’t do it all — but you can do the right things with excellence.
When I pruned the unnecessary, excellence finally had space to breathe.
The Leadership Lesson
Stephen Covey once said,
“You cannot reap a crop you haven’t sown.”
That simple truth applies to every area of leadership.
If you haven’t planted clarity, you won’t reap focus.
If you haven’t planted consistency, you won’t reap trust.
If you haven’t planted purpose, you won’t reap results.
Every leader I’ve worked with who achieves excellence — the kind that’s visible, lasting, and influential — always starts the same way: they decide where to focus.
Excellence isn’t a mindset; it’s a method.
But focusing on excellence all the time … it’s tiring, right? And despite my best efforts, I often end up feeling somewhat mediocre at everything.
My “aha” moment in Darren’s training came when he said there are only a few instances that truly matter each week — that my performance in those few instances would make up 90 per cent of my success that week.
That was my light-bulb moment. I realised that planting with purpose isn’t just a seasonal principle — it’s a weekly discipline. It means identifying the two or three “star moments” where excellence will have the highest impact — where your presence and preparation make the difference.
Then set yourself up for those moments. Prepare with excellence. Focus on what you can control. Deliver the wow. Decide what a 10 out of 10 would look like, then double down and aim for a 13.
So, what are your two or three big moments next week where influence and impact truly matter? Look ahead, plant your best energy there, and let those moments carry the harvest of your week.
The One Thing for You
“What’s the one thing that, if you did it today — this week — would make everything else easier or unnecessary?” – Gary Keller
This spring, choose to plant with purpose.
Ask yourself:
What’s the one thing I can do this week that would make everything else easier or unnecessary?
Where am I spreading energy that isn’t producing fruit?
Then take one decisive step:
⇨ Delete, diminish, or delegate all tasks that don’t serve your biggest goal.
Create room for what matters most — because what you plant now determines what you’ll harvest later.
When we plant with purpose, we return to what leadership truly is: setting direction, clearing clutter, and creating clarity for ourselves and others.
Final Reflection
Excellence isn’t accidental. It’s a daily decision to plant with purpose, nurture what matters, and prune what doesn’t.
If you want to finish this year strong, start now.
Sow clarity.
Water consistency.
Protect your energy.
And remember — the quality of your harvest depends on the intention of your planting.
So, starve your distractions and feed your focus.
Excellence is never an accident — it’s planted on purpose.
Stay inspired and lead with excellence.
— Gary
Explore the full Spring Forward: Excellence in Action Series
Plant with Purpose — Clarity creates momentum.
Prune for Progress — Courage clears the path for growth.
Finish Strong — Together — Connection turns belief into belonging.
Three perspectives. One pursuit: Excellence in action.