Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.

The saying contrasts short-term results (“the harvest you reap”) with long-term, process-oriented effort (“the seeds you plant”). It urges evaluating a day by the constructive actions, habits, and kindnesses initiated—work whose payoff may be delayed—rather than by immediate, visible outcomes. As a piece of practical moral counsel, it aligns with a broader Victorian/modern self-help sensibility: character and achievement are cultivated over time through repeated small acts. Even when a day yields little tangible success, it can still be “good” if it advances future growth, learning, or relationships.