How to Plant Seeds for Success: Lessons from Geshe Michael Roach
In a heartfelt lecture given in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, Geshe Michael Roach shared the essence of his 25 years of monastic training and life experience to teach people how to achieve real success in life — success that brings not only wealth, but also health, love, and inner peace. This system, based on ancient Tibetan wisdom, is accessible to anyone and can be put into practice immediately.
🎯 The Four-Step Method for Planting Mental Seeds
Geshe Michael teaches a powerful and practical four-step method to shape your future by planting mental seeds. The method is based on the idea that everything we experience — our financial situation, relationships, health — arises from seeds we have planted in the past.
- Step 1: Decide exactly what you want (financial freedom, a healthy body, a better relationship, etc.). (43:00)
- Step 2: Find someone else who wants the same or similar thing. (44:45)
- Step 3: Help this person achieve their goal — regularly and with clear intention (Starbucks talks are suggested!). (48:00)
- Step 4: Every night before bed, do a short coffee meditation — mentally rejoice in the good deed you’ve done that day. (54:00)
“What you want, you must offer to others regularly or it won’t work. Doing it once is like throwing a watermelon seed on concrete.”
– Geshe Michael Roach (53:05)
🧠 The Pen Analogy: Understanding Emptiness
One of the most powerful teachings in this talk is Geshe Michael’s famous pen analogy, used to illustrate the concept of emptiness:
“If I put a pen on the table and all people and dogs leave the room, at that moment, it is neither a pen nor a chew toy — it’s empty of both. What it becomes depends on who looks at it.”
– Geshe Michael Roach (16:00)
This concept, known as emptiness in Buddhist philosophy, means that objects do not exist independently; they take form and function based on the seeds in our minds.
🌍 Real-World Applications
The same karmic logic that explains why we see a pen instead of a chew toy applies to every aspect of our lives — our jobs, our relationships, and even real estate investments. Success is not random; it’s the result of specific mental seeds planted with intention.
🧘 Coffee Meditation: The Missing Link
According to Geshe Michael, the most overlooked but essential step is coffee meditation — mentally rejoicing in the good you’ve done. This strengthens the seed and ensures it ripens faster and stronger.
“As you fall asleep, force your mind to think of the kind things you’ve done today. That’s real meditation.”
– Geshe Michael Roach (1:08:00)
📌 Key Moments (FAQ Style)
- Can these principles fix my relationship?
Yes, but you must help someone else with their relationship. (4:00) - Can they help me get a better job or more money?
Yes, by helping someone else achieve financial success. (29:00) - What if the other person doesn’t want my help?
Help them gently, or become more open to receiving help yourself. (1:18:00) - How long until results show?
Depends on your consistency and clarity. Start with weekly actions. (36:00) - Is it selfish to help others just to help myself?
No. It’s a win-win system. (39:00)
For more teachings and materials, visit The Knowledge Base and explore Diamond Cutter Institute.
