Being a Leader

"Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself.  When you become a leader, success is all about growing others." - Jack Welch

What an incredible quote!  And how true it is.  When you begin your journey, probably around the start of high school, you look to others that may have more success than you and try to figure out what they did to get where they are.  Eventually, you assume that more knowledgeable position, and it is so important to give back to others and advise them.

Mom and Dad

When I started high school, I had several great mentors, namely my parents. There were also people that I had associations with that taught me how I didn't want to be.  It is important to remember that everyone teaches you something, whether it be good, or bad.  Obviously, my parents were around from day one, and though my mom and I often bicker, she taught me to be strong and she taught me to stick to my guns.  She gave me conviction and confidence in myself, as well as humility and how to be humble.  My dad taught me to not overthink (though I often do), to take a step back and look at the whole issue and how to deal with people in a kind manner.  They both taught me that your reputation precedes you and to never judge a book by it's cover.  These are all qualities I value and I strive to maintain.

Jeff (On left) with our judging Team

Through livestock judging, Jeff Menges helped to further develop my self confidence, and grew my public speaking skills.  Giving sets of oral reasons to judges and trying to convince them that you placed a class correctly requires you to give examples and present that information in an appealing manner.  Diane Bales is also a dear and special friend.  She is someone that, no matter what, always maintains a positive attitude and keeps pushing forward.  She has dedicated her life to helping others and ensuring their success.  All of these people were fundamental to my success, as well as many others that taught me little things along the way.  Without their help and guidance, I am positive I would not be where I am today.

Diane Bales

Jarrett at Fair

Now that I have begun to gain some success and stature, I think it is so incredibly important to give back to others.  There is nothing more enjoyable that helping someone to grow and watching them blossom under your guidance.  And, this is not only applicable to people younger than you.  They could be the same age group, or even older!  Several years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the Jarvis family through the sale of my lambs.  Jarrett, their oldest son, soon became a good friend of mine, as I helped him to learn about his lamb.  His mom, Stacey, also holds a special place in my heart for her diligence in learning all the technicalities to raising livestock, and supporting Jarrett and his sisters with her help and knowledge.  I always strive to be a positive example for those around me, because I have learned that you never know who may be watching you.  I would like to think that I have valuable things to say, and that I can help others achieve their goals.  Whether this is true, or not, I still will attempt to help other people.


I would like to end with something that I am often affected by, and see happening too often.  Many people think that wisdom comes with age, and that young people are naive and don't have anything to bring to the table.  In some categories, this may be true, but it is certainly not in all.  I can guarantee there are people younger than me that know much more about basketball, or hunting, or even showing pigs.  This is something that is very dear to my heart, because I believe that everyone has something to bring to the table.  And I will never judge someone by their age.  If you know what you're talking about, you know what you're talking about, regardless of any other characteristics.