Lettuce Lessons: A Gardening Fail Led To Big Learning

This week, I tried something new: growing vegetables. Specifically, lettuce. I’ve always loved the idea of stepping out into the backyard and grabbing a few fresh leaves for a salad. Simple. Healthy. Satisfying.

So this past Tuesday evening, my husband Ryan and I pulled out the starter plants I bought this last weekend - lettuce and spinach - and carefully planted them together. I was so excited. This felt like a small but meaningful step toward something I’ve wanted for so long!

And then… Wednesday happened.

The temperature soared to an unseasonable 90 degrees in Minnesota. I came home from work to find my sweet little plants completely wilted. Brown, droopy, tragic. Unsalvageable. As a novice lettuce gardener, I didn’t realize how the fragile, thin leaves of lettuce really can’t tolerate blazing hot, direct sunlight. 

Total cost of the experiment? About $7 and maybe 30 minutes of planting time. The outcome? Not what I hoped. 

But the learning? Worth every penny.

The Power of Tiny Experiments

In her book Tiny Experiments, Anne-Laure Le Cunff encourages readers to try small, low-stakes things as a way to learn and grow, especially in high-pressure professions where failure can feel scary. Her whole philosophy is built around this question:

“What can I try, just to see what happens?”

This spirit of experimentation is so needed in the legal profession, where perfectionism often rules the day. Whether you’re launching a new project, building healthier habits, or finding your voice in a meeting, tiny experiments allow us to explore without overcommitting or overanalyzing.

You don’t have to bet the farm (so to speak) - just try something small.

Examples of Tiny Experiments in the Legal World

Here are a few ways lawyers and legal professionals can bring curiosity into their daily lives:

• Try time-blocking for a week instead of always responding reactively.
  

• Schedule one walking meeting and see how it feels compared to a Zoom call.
  

• Draft an email using a new tone - warmer, more direct, more concise - and notice the response.
  

• Ask a colleague how they’d approach a case or challenge even if you already have an idea.
  

• Take a 3-minute breathing break before a client call and see if it shifts your presence.

You’re not committing to a lifelong change; you’re just running a test.

What My Lettuce Taught Me

Was I disappointed when those plants wilted? Of course. But here’s what I realized:

1. The risk was small, just a few dollars and a bit of effort.
   

2. I learned something useful: my timing, watering strategy, and shade plan all need adjustment.
   

3. I’m going to try again with more resilience and better insight.
   

4. I took action on something I’ve wanted and that felt good, regardless of outcome.

That’s the spirit of experimentation: curiosity over control. Learning over perfection. Iteration over judgment.

What We Learn from Failed Experiments

When an experiment doesn’t go the way we hoped, it can still teach us so much. Here’s what we gain when we allow ourselves to try:

• Insight: You learn what works, what doesn’t, and what needs tweaking.
  

• Self-awareness: You discover your habits, hang-ups, and natural rhythms.
  

• Resilience: You prove to yourself that a misstep doesn’t define you.
  

• Clarity: You refine what success looks like for you.
  

• Confidence: You build trust in your ability to adapt, learn, and grow.

These lessons can’t be accessed from the sidelines. They come from trying, even (and especially) when things don’t go as planned.

Want to Try More? Join Us!

At our next EsquireWell Masterclass, we’ll welcome Anne-Laure Le Cunff, author of Tiny Experiments, to help us explore the science and strategy behind small, courageous tests - in our work, habits, and well-being. It’s for anyone who wants to grow in ways that feel doable, insightful, and empowering - more information below. Please join us to learn, be in community, and maybe even win a copy of Anne-Laure’s book!

Whether you’re experimenting with time management, leadership style, or, yes, lettuce, this conversation will offer practical tools and permission to start small.

Sometimes, $7 of lettuce seedlings and a little too much sun are all it takes to remind you that you're already growing!

Recommended Resources

[Article] Framing Failure for Learning and Innovation | Harvard Executive Education

[Article] How to Learn From Your Failures | Greater Good from the University of California - Berkeley | Jeremy Adam Smith

[Video] How to overcome your mistakes | Ted-Ed

[Video] Rewiring How We Learn: The Power of an Experimental Mindset | SXSW EDU 2025 | Anne-Laure Le Cunff

Feel free to download, share, and use these quotes to inspire yourself and others!