Social media is great for so many things, including perpetuating absolutes that aren’t necessarily absolute. I recently saw a post from someone that said (paraphrasing), “I’d rather raise kind children than see them have jobs that make a lot of money.”
At first blush, the sentiment is admirable. Who doesn’t want their kids to be kind? But, as I read through the litany of comments, it struck me: I don’t consider the two mutually exclusive. Children can grow up to be kind, well-mannered and also pursue good-paying careers.
FIND THE FLOOR
At our house, kindness is expected. It’s the floor, the standard, the basic cable package. The direction their life or careers go beyond that point is the pursuit of excellence.
What about your farm? What is its floor? What is the starting point or standard you expect to meet before chasing new pursuits?
For many farmers, managing soil health or eliminating erosion is the minimum. They expect to start there, and all other efforts will build on top.
Or maybe your floor is a well-trained workforce, up-to-date equipment maintenance or excellent landlord communication.
While it’s important to recognize those accomplishments, we don’t celebrate them because it’s honestly the least we can do.
I bet your father or mother didn’t celebrate if you held the door open for the person behind you. They expected that to be the standard. If you didn’t, you can bet they took notice, just like folks will take notice if you don’t meet the basic standards of your farm.
SET A STANDARD
Why is it important to set a floor? So, you can measure the ceiling. As your operation grows and pursues new practices or markets, that base helps you recognize or measure your new level of success.
Life is a journey, and our farms will always be a work in progress. If we’re not goal setting correctly, we might never reach the pinnacle of our operation. We should be able to set and raise the floor over time. The higher the floor, the greater the possibility of excellence on the farm.
Clinton Griffiths is a TV newsman, turned magazine editor, with a passion for good stories. He believes the best life lessons can be found down a dirt road.
