What does You reap what you sow Idiom mean
Meaning of “You reap what you sow”
“You reap what you sow” is a proverb that means your future is determined by what you do today. If you plant the seeds of good deeds today by working hard and being nice to others, you will harvest goodwill in the future. However, if you plant “seeds” of bad decisions or poor behavior today, you may face problems down the road.
This phrase uses the analogy of a farmer planting seeds. A farmer SOWS seeds by planting them in the ground, but later REAPS those seeds by harvesting the crops that come from the seeds. If a farmer plants wheat, he will reap wheat. If a farmer does not plant any seeds, he will not have any crop to reap. When we use this phrase we are saying that our actions are seeds that we plant, and our results are our harvest.
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“It’s important to understand that life does not just ‘deal you’ random successes and failures. When you work hard at school you will usually earn good grades. If you save your money, you will likely have more financial success in the future. If you lie and cheat people, you might run into trouble because of those decisions.”
Another example of this is the relationships that we build with others. If you treat others with kindness, help others when you can, and speak to others with respect, others will be more willing to trust you and help you when you need it. However, if you’re rude to others and take your friends for granted, you will likely lose your friends and not have those relationships to reap from later.
Examples:
- You study all year and earn straight A’s on your report card. You reap what you sow.
- An employee shows up late to work day after day. He eventually loses his job. He reaps what he sowed.
- One day, you help an elderly person carry her groceries. A month later, when you’re struggling to carry your own groceries, a neighbor offers to help you. This is an example of reaping what you sow.
When you hear this phrase being used, it’s a message to think about your actions and choices. We are planting seeds with our behavior and actions every day, and we will eventually harvest what we plant in life.
“You reap what you sow” means that what you do today determines your future. If you want a good life, plant good seeds like studying hard, being honest, and helping others.