Core Insight
Late summer can be one of the harder times for me to stay energized on the farm. The heat makes it harder to get outside, insect pressure is near its peak, and some of the plants that looked beautiful a couple of months ago are clearly showing their age. There is still plenty to harvest, but it can feel like the farm is asking for more effort while giving a little less in return.
Then I walk into the basement and see trays of lettuce and spinach getting a little bigger every day. They are still weeks away from being transplanted, but they remind me that this difficult stretch is temporary. A new season is already growing, even though I cannot harvest anything from it yet.
I think organizations need the same thing. There are seasons when the work feels harder, problems seem more persistent, and our energy naturally starts to fade. Sometimes the answer is not squeezing more productivity out of the current season. It is making sure we are planting something that gives people a reason to be excited about the next one.
Three Concrete Details to Notice
1. Every season eventually runs out of energy. The summer garden has been producing for months, and expecting it to look and perform like it did in June is unrealistic. Teams can experience something similar. Recognizing that energy naturally rises and falls can help us lead with more wisdom instead of assuming every slowdown needs to be fixed by working harder.
2. The next season begins before the current one ends. I cannot wait until the summer garden is finished to start thinking about fall. Those seedlings need weeks of attention before they are ready for the field. In business, the next opportunity, capability, relationship, or idea often needs to be nurtured while we are still doing today’s work. That overlap can feel demanding, but it is what creates continuity.
3. Something small can regenerate our energy. There is something encouraging about looking at a tray of young plants when much of the farm is tired. They represent possibility. Leaders can create that same sense of possibility by helping people see what is beginning, not just what needs to be finished. Sometimes a small glimpse of what is coming is enough to help us recommit to the work in front of us.
Simple Closing Thought
Late summer reminds me that feeling tired of the current season does not mean I am tired of growing. Sometimes I just need to see evidence that another season is coming.
The seedlings in the basement (now hardening off by the basement door) are that evidence for me right now. They remind me to keep tending what is still producing, while putting a little energy each day into what comes next.
Keep growing. Keep learning.
Farmer Tommy
This post first appeared on August 21, 2026 in Sowing Success, my weekly LinkedIn newsletter on leadership and organic farming. Read the original on LinkedIn.
