A Winning Attitude is the Key to Survival
Editorial Comment
A winning attitude is the key to survival
When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
“Offense wins games, defense wins championships.”
I suppose using sports metaphors so soon after the Super Bowl can be somewhat tiring, but having returned on Friday from Atlanta and the International Feed Expo and International Poultry Expo and while actually watching the game itself unfold a few days later, the metaphors made a lot of sense.
“You have to play hard for four quarters.” Well, this one seems pretty obvious as both business cycles and football games consist of four quarters. Talking with exhibitors and producers alike in Atlanta, they hope to overcome the struggles of the first quarter and prevail at the end of the year.
“I’m just happy to be here and have an opportunity to win.” Certainly the rational fan would’ve pegged the Arizona Cardinals’ chances of going to the Super Bowl as being equal to a snowball’s chance of surviving on a Phoenix sidewalk. Nevetheless, by playing hard and capitalizing on other teams’ mistakes, they made it. A lot of people are happy to have jobs and be involved in an industry that seemingly survives recessions much better than other sectors. Like the Cardinals, I heard more than one person say in Atlanta, “Hey, I’m just happy to be here!”
“Everyone experiences adversity, it’s how you deal with it that defines a true champion.” The Cardinals could’ve easily folded their tent and given up after a crushing interception return for a TD before the half, but, instead they rallied in the fourth quarter and held the lead with two minutes left. Then Pittsburgh showed their mettle by overcoming a 13 point lead to score with less than a minute to go. Countless times while in Atlanta I heard people say, “We’ve seen tough times before and we’ll see them again. We just have to meet the challenge and get to work.” Agriculture is a tough business, but if you’re good at what you do and you don’t shrink from a challenge or panic when things go wrong, you can succeed and survive.
The theme of this issue centers on ways to survive difficult times. I look forward to visiting with you at GEAPS to see what your game plan looks like for coming out of 2009 victorious. Whether it’s a balanced attack or a lean, mean defense, put on your game face and be ready to play hard for all four quarters.
