--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If someone says \"You're not doing that…" description: "\"If someone says \"You're not doing that right,\" hand him the shovel, sit and watch. That's the right way to garden.\" — Janet Macunovich" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/janet-macunovich-21724_garden_if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-ri_1382611.jpg" --- # If someone says "You're not doing that right," hand him… ![“If someone says "You're not doing that right," hand him the shovel, sit and watch. That's the right way to garden.” quote by Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/janet-macunovich-21724_garden_if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-ri_1382611.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/janet-macunovich-21724_garden_if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-ri_1382611.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/janet-macunovich-21724_garden_if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-ri_1382611.jpg) > “If someone says "You're not doing that right," hand him the shovel, sit and watch. That's the right way to garden.” [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When criticized, respond with calm action rather than argument **In simple terms:** Respond to criticism by doing, not arguing Key Takeaway Let actions speak louder than words Themes patience action confidence Mood thoughtful assertive Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - Workplace feedback - creative projects - parenting - conflict mediation Key Concepts Constructive response mindful listening Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance action with communication? - When is silence more powerful than words? A Different Perspective May be seen as passive, could be misinterpreted ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Doing right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-right/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Right way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-way/) ## Related quotes > [Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottom, someone will hand you a shovel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bottom-someone-will-hand-you-a-2/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [“Just when you think you've hit rock bottom. someone will hand you a shovel.--- Phoebe Traeger”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/just-when-you-think-you-ve-hit-rock-bottom-someone-will-hand-you-a/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [For 3 million you could give everyone in Scotland a shovel, and we could dig a hole so deep we could hand her over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/for-3-million-you-could-give-everyone-in-scotland-a-shovel-and-we-2/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [God is not remote from us. He is at the point of my pen, my (pick) shovel, my paint brush, my (sewing) needle -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/god-is-not-remote-from-us-he-is-at-the-point-of-my-pen-my-pick-shovel/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [No matter who you are, you will be put abed at last with a shovel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-o-malley/no-matter-who-you-are-you-will-be-put-abed-at-last-with-a-shovel/) [Austin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-o-malley/) > [The shovel is the brother to the gun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-shovel-is-the-brother-to-the-gun/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [That's what a story must feel like to me. It's not, "I want to write about a gravedigger." But you're walking along and -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/that-s-what-a-story-must-feel-like-to-me-it-s-not-i-want-to-write/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [When we ask God to move a mountain, God may give us a shovel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/when-we-ask-god-to-move-a-mountain-god-may-give-us-a-shovel/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) > [Never doubt or question the power of love or one woman with a shovel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-newcomer/never-doubt-or-question-the-power-of-love-or-one-woman-with-a-shovel/) [Carrie Newcomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-newcomer/) > [Let every man shovel out his own snow and the whole city will be passable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/let-every-man-shovel-out-his-own-snow-and-the-whole-city-will-be/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Stick a shovel into the ground almost anywhere and some horrible thing or other will come to light. Good for trade, we thrive on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/stick-a-shovel-into-the-ground-almost-anywhere-and-some-horrible/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Leaders don't pray to God to fill their potholes. They ask God for shovels so they can do it by His grace. Pray practically.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/leaders-don-t-pray-to-god-to-fill-their-potholes-they-ask-god-for/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Sure the shovel and tongs To each other belongs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-lover/sure-the-shovel-and-tongs-to-each-other-belongs/) [Samuel Lover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-lover/) > [Trudeau valued performance above image. He Knew he could give me a shovel if there was a mess to clean up, and he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-chretien/trudeau-valued-performance-above-image-he-knew-he-could-give-me-a/) [Jean Chretien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-chretien/) > [For 3 Million you could give everyone in Scotland a shovel, and we could dig a hole so deep we could hand her over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/for-3-million-you-could-give-everyone-in-scotland-a-shovel-and-we/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) ## More by Janet Macunovich > [If you cut a shrub back because it's just too big, and it dies, you haven't lost anything but a plant that couldn't live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-you-cut-a-shrub-back-because-it-s-just-too-big-and-it-dies-you/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [You don't know the plant until you've killed it. Then you've learned something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/you-don-t-know-the-plant-until-you-ve-killed-it-then-you-ve-learned/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [The very best garden is a new one, on virgin ground. Plants leap out of that spot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/the-very-best-garden-is-a-new-one-on-virgin-ground-plants-leap-out-of/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [Gardeners in regions with very long summer days have a great opportunity, and should use more of the cool colors that literally glow in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-in-regions-with-very-long-summer-days-have-a-great/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [Silly gardeners! We buy pretty, comfortable benches and position them oh so carefully. But does the gardener ever sit? No! We perch momentarily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/silly-gardeners-we-buy-pretty-comfortable-benches-and-position-them/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [You can put a gardener behind the wheel, but you can't keep her eyes off the landscape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/you-can-put-a-gardener-behind-the-wheel-but-you-can-t-keep-her-eyes/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [Gardeners do first, read later. Why not? Plants are very gracious in accepting an apology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-do-first-read-later-why-not-plants-are-very-gracious-in/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [Happiness comes from growing what thrives, not merely survives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/happiness-comes-from-growing-what-thrives-not-merely-survives/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [We think we learn by growing a plant but we can't know if it's just surviving or truly living? We really don't know anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/we-think-we-learn-by-growing-a-plant-but-we-can-t-know-if-it-s-just/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [Take my last best advice: Try everything twice!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/take-my-last-best-advice-try-everything-twice/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [Watch out for trees and traffic. The change is slow, the impact great, yet we miss the one and mistake the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/watch-out-for-trees-and-traffic-the-change-is-slow-the-impact-great/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [A colorful handle on a tool does nothing for me. Once it drops into that jungle out there, unless it's absolutely huge, it's gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/a-colorful-handle-on-a-tool-does-nothing-for-me-once-it-drops-into/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [There's no "right way" to garden, only what suits each person and place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/there-s-no-right-way-to-garden-only-what-suits-each-person-and-place/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [Gardeners often focus exclusively on plants, missing the absolutely essential visual role played by structures, from paths to pavilions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/gardeners-often-focus-exclusively-on-plants-missing-the-absolutely/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) > [There are far too many self esteem problems in the world as it is. No sense taking on plant guilt, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/there-are-far-too-many-self-esteem-problems-in-the-world-as-it-is-no/) [Janet Macunovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) [Explore all 28 Janet Macunovich quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/) ## More Doing right quotes > [If you think you're doing everything right, then you have a tendency to stand pat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stockton/if-you-think-you-re-doing-everything-right-then-you-have-a-tendency/) [John Stockton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stockton/) > [Doing the right things is more important than doing things right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ko-wen-je/doing-the-right-things-is-more-important-than-doing-things-right/) [Ko Wen-je](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ko-wen-je/) > [Money will come to you when you are doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-phillips/money-will-come-to-you-when-you-are-doing-the-right-thing/) [Michael Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-phillips/) > [When I made it, I still didn't wave the flag and say, Yeah go Asian people. I do want people to know that about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hugo/when-i-made-it-i-still-didn-t-wave-the-flag-and-say-yeah-go-asian/) [Chad Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hugo/) > [Any artist can't get away from the way the world works, which is that it wants to know what you did, and you're only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/any-artist-can-t-get-away-from-the-way-the-world-works-which-is-that/) [Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/) > [Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/quality-means-doing-it-right-when-no-one-is-looking/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [“Because doing what is right is in your bones. Just follow where your bones take you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-x-stork/because-doing-what-is-right-is-in-your-bones-just-follow-where-your/) [Francisco X. Stork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-x-stork/) > [It's all about doing the right things at the right times and I believe I can win everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-cross/it-s-all-about-doing-the-right-things-at-the-right-times-and-i/) [Rob Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-cross/) > [You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/you-should-never-be-proud-of-doing-the-right-thing-you-should-just-do/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [“Management is about doing things right; leadership is about doing the right things. Peter Drucker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-banfield/management-is-about-doing-things-right-leadership-is-about-doing-the/) [Richard Banfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-banfield/) > [Audiences are hungry for something different. With binge-watching, they're hungry for interesting content they haven't seen before, and they want to be entertained. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-millar/audiences-are-hungry-for-something-different-with-binge-watching-they/) [Miles Millar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-millar/) > [“Doing better is creativity, doing faster is creativity, doing smarter is creativity, doing right is creativity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/doing-better-is-creativity-doing-faster-is-creativity-doing-smarter/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I went to Oregon to study permaculture and lived in an eco-village for a month outside Eugene. Its called Lost Valley. It was amazing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/i-went-to-oregon-to-study-permaculture-and-lived-in-an-eco-village/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [Never let making a profit stand in the way of doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-jenkins/never-let-making-a-profit-stand-in-the-way-of-doing-the-right-thing/) George W. Jenkins > [Knowing what is right is not the same as doing what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-caine/knowing-what-is-right-is-not-the-same-as-doing-what-is-right/) [Christine Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-caine/) [Browse all 734 Doing right quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-right/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If someone says \"You're not doing that right,\" hand him the shovel, sit and watch. That's the right way to garden.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Janet Macunovich" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-right-hand-him-the-shovel-sit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doing right" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-right-hand-him-the-shovel-sit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/janet-macunovich-21724_garden_if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-ri_1382611.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/janet-macunovich-21724_garden_if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-ri_1382611.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/67e/janet-macunovich-21724_garden_if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-ri_1382611.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If someone says \"You're not doing that right,\" hand him the shovel, sit and watch. That's the right way to…” — Janet Macunovich", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Janet Macunovich", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-macunovich/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If someone says \"You're not doing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-right-hand-him-the-shovel-sit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-macunovich/if-someone-says-you-re-not-doing-that-right-hand-him-the-shovel-sit/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```