While in school, it may be possible to cram the night before an exam and get a decent grade. But what “works” in school doesn’t always work in life. Consider life on a farm:

Did you ever consider how ridiculous it would be to try to cram on a farm—to forget to plant in the spring, play all summer and then cram in the fall to bring in the harvest? The farm is a natural system. The price must be paid and the process followed. You always reap what you sow; there is no shortcut.1

Few live on farms anymore, but the same principles remain. What you choose to give your time and attention to in the present, and what you choose to neglect, will impact what you experience tomorrow. The habits you’re forming right now—both good and bad—will have far-reaching effects. And although you may not be able to cram to make up for missed opportunities, today does provide a continual chance to change course. You may not see an immediate harvest from what you sow today, but one will come if you persist.

  1. Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ↩︎