Be A Farmer

We all have quality ideas from time to time that could make a significant difference, large or small, in the quality of life that others may enjoy. We may not realize how needed are ideas are to help others. Yet, we must get them out where either we or others, can find them and possibly bring joy to life. The problem with keeping a good idea bottled up is that it has a limited shelf life. To counter the limited lifespan of a concept, we need to learn to act like farmers.

Farmers are responsible for helping things grow. They don’t do this by keeping the seed bottled up in the silo. Farmers plant seeds. They give nutrition of the soil for the seeds, and water. And as the plants grow, the farmers tend to them, removing weeds and harvesting when the crop is ripe. Seeds are sometimes blown by the wind, or maybe carried by animals or birds to other more favorable spots, and thus migrate from one area to many others.

Ideas are a lot like seeds. Ideas need nourishment to grow. A thought will never grow to fruition if it’s bottled up and kept in the dark of one person’s head. Ideas, like any other seed, need to be brought out into the light. The seeds of thought need to be shared with others, just as the fruit of this knowledge will be. After all, an idea that does something good for you will also most probably do good for others.

Don’t let one or two thunderclouds of discontent slow you down. Farmers grow abundant grain crops, yet not everybody likes oatmeal. Remember to focus your ideas, not to everyone, just to those who would make good use of the thoughts you have.

There is a secondary benefit to you. When the first idea goes out into the world and produces benefits for those who use it, you find yourself with room for another idea to germinate into a seed that you can then go plant.

I advise, go be a farmer. Plant the seeds of ideas wherever you can. You never know what may grow or how well it will help others.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. View all posts by Mike Balof