When it comes to working the land - especially in the Southern region of the United States, this time of year is an exciting time because it marks the season of harvest.

But it can be a potentially dangerous time for the farmers who aren't quick enough to get their year's work out of the ground.

It's essentially a race against time to harvest before the winter rains when anything you've left out in the field will be rendered useless.

Unpicked fruit will be left to rot.

A fortuitous conversation with my grandmother revealed this wisdom that's native to Southerners, and I had to share it with you. The similarity between our gifts and a farmer's crops were too stark to miss.

So many people have allowed their gifts - their expertise, skills, and wisdom - to ripen for years, but have yet pick their own fruit.

Let this comparison to nature be your own cautionary tale: there comes a point when you're not growing anymore. But it may not be because you've simply reached a plateau, instead you're fully ripe and it's time for you to get off the vine. And if you stay on the vine too long, the very gifts you've spent years cultivating may be in danger.

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Thank you to Nikki Rogers of the Wednesday Morning Bulletin for mentioning Package Your Genius on your latest edition. For those who want to check out her newsletter, you can check it out here.