The Coming Harvest

I drove through the countryside and realized that the crops in the fields were nearing harvest. The green edges started to show the touch of brown that would spread through them all within a month or so. Though I am not a farmer, it did get me thinking; am I ready to harvest the things I've worked for?

The farmer follows a specific cycle every year. It starts with the planning of what to plant and where to plant it. There there is the planting of the seeds. Next, there is all the work of tending the crops to make sure they are safe and have the best opportunity to grow. After all of that hard work and patience, only then can the farmer harvest the crop. It doesn't end there, though. The farmer must still make sure the harvested material is treated and stored in a way that makes it last at least until the next harvest, or can be sold for a profit.

As mentioned, I do not have a farm. I still go through that cycle every time I have a project or goal. I have to plan, plant, tend, and be patient enough to harvest at the right time. I need to know that I can make the results last until the next plan comes to completion. So, why would this require any extra thought?

There are three really important parts where the farmer's attitude and skill make a serious difference. Obviously a farmer who can plan better will have a better plan, but one cannot plan for the unexpected. The seeds are likely to sprout, grow, and produce grain or fruit on their own, but a diligent farmer can do things to increase the likelihood and the amount produced. Finally, the farmer must really understand what to do with the harvest to make it last.

Have you known people who make plans but do not follow through with them? Do you know people who make only the minimum amount of effort and just hope things fall into place? Do you know people who run out of money long before the next pay check? These are people who need to learn to be more like farmers. Sure, there can always be life circumstances that keep a person from enacting good planning, follow-through, and storage, but one should at least know how to do the best and have the attitude to deal with it. Even the farmer has to contend with nature.

So, look around at your intended works. Have you applied the lessons of the farmer? Can you learn more from them? I know that I try, but there is always room for improvement.