What Is the Marigold Theory? The Simple Rule for Choosing the Right People
Kazi Nasir | Dec 11, 2025, 16:00 IST
What is Marigold Theory
( Image credit : Freepik )
The Marigold Theory is a powerful concept that explains how surrounding yourself with the right people can significantly boost your growth, confidence, and long-term success. Just like marigold plants protect and nurture nearby crops, certain individuals in your life act as “marigolds” offering support, positivity, motivation, and constructive energy.
Highlights
- Meaning and origin ofMarigold Theory
- Why marigolds symbolize support, warmth, and growth
- How positive people influence your career, mindset and confidence
Do you know that sometimes marigolds are planted beside vegetables? These bright colour flowers help the vegetable protect and flourish nearby. How? Marigolds with their vibrant colour attract helpful insects and repel pests and create a healthier microclimate. In life as well, few people are like marigolds; they give you honest feedback, if you progress, they cheer and tell you when you're wrong. That's the Marigold Theory. On the other hand, there are people who are like pests and weeds; they drain energy, sow seeds of doubt and put one on the wrong trail.
![Positive support system]()
Marigold Theory comes with the idea that the people and the environment one generally surrounds themselves with either protect and accelerate one's development, like marigolds do or discourage and limit it, as toxic plants do. So, it's basically a metaphor but provides a practical guide, whom you can intentionally choose for relationships and whom you should persist.
The group one surround themselves with causes a significant influence on one's personality. The group's likes and dislikes, things they praise and give attention to, are all factors of influence.
Each group consists of their own norms and expectations, they set implicit standards and according to that, they celebrate. So if risk-taking is normalised in any group then joining that group can make you smarter at risk-taking.
Marigolds vs Toxic Plants
![Find Your Marigolds]()
Marigolds - They are the ones who fill one's life with positivity; they celebrate your wins and make you aware of progress. They provide honest feedback instead of vague praise. And importantly they normalize failure as learning.
Toxic Plants - People who minimise or dismiss your success. They gossip behind you or undermine your efforts behind your back. You might fear them with the risk of sarcasm, fear mongering or for their passive aggression.
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Q1. What do marigolds symbolize in the story?
Ans: the possibility of a happy, beautiful life
Q2. What do walnuts symbolize?
Ans: Wisdom and fertility
Q3. What do marigolds symbolize in Christianity?
Ans: Often associated with the Virgin Mary.
What the Marigold Theory is
Positive support system
( Image credit : Freepik )
Why It Works
Each group consists of their own norms and expectations, they set implicit standards and according to that, they celebrate. So if risk-taking is normalised in any group then joining that group can make you smarter at risk-taking.
Marigolds vs Toxic Plants
Find Your Marigolds
( Image credit : Freepik )
Toxic Plants - People who minimise or dismiss your success. They gossip behind you or undermine your efforts behind your back. You might fear them with the risk of sarcasm, fear mongering or for their passive aggression.
Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Spiritual, Travel, Life Hacks, Trending, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life!
FAQs
Ans: the possibility of a happy, beautiful life
Q2. What do walnuts symbolize?
Ans: Wisdom and fertility
Q3. What do marigolds symbolize in Christianity?
Ans: Often associated with the Virgin Mary.