Habits are hard to break. Expectations are the expected results, and stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason. People are predictable, and we like it that way.
We wake up every morning, have the same coffee from the same pot, made the same way, watch the same news program (“AgDay“ TV) and head out the door at roughly the same time.
It’s routine, and it’s also why companies such as Google, Amazon and Apple are making a living by “predicting” our behavior. Is it a prediction if it’s always the same?
NO MORE NORMAL
However, since COVID-19 entered the side door of our daily lives, normal has taken a vacation. Many of the things we always counted on are no longer the norm. The ol’ standbys such as new trucks, seasonal hired hands, 3% inflation, concrete and even toilet paper have always been expected and available. Today, that’s simply not a reliable expectation.
Our team has dug into the reality of today’s ag equipment market. Supply chain hiccups, part shortages and shipping delays seem to be more common than not in 2022.
However, as you’ll see, that won’t last forever.
But also, don’t be expecting the market of the past to return. We are easily rewriting the habits and thinking of a generation. There’s a new normal being built for ag equipment during this current cycle.
Not everyone is going to handle it the same, but no doubt we’ll all have to adjust to this modern routine.
HOW TO ADAPT
If you ask the experts, they’ll tell you our brains are hardwired to fight change. It’s science. That said, there are steps you can take to mentally adjust and lower your stress as the new norm is forming.
- Remember why you’re frustrated and recognize the old days are gone.
- List the positives of the said “new normal.”
- Take actual steps to manage the change.
Frustration from change is often accompanied by a loss of control or powerlessness. In today’s supply-chain challenged world, recognize this as an intrinsic uncertainty, and then make a plan to adjust your habits (after coffee of course).
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.
