As a coach, I’m always pushing my wrestlers to give 100% effort. “Work hard,” “Compete until the end,” “Push yourself,” and “Pick up the pace!” are some of my favorite quips. Effort is a great matrix for my wrestlers to measure themselves against. Did I try my best? Did I compete until the end? Did I risk? There is nothing about results in any of this. Why is that?
Results are most often achieved as a byproduct of effort. It’s usually just a timing thing. Too often we get impatient with the lack of results and sabotage our efforts. We must be patient. Results take time to express themselves. Likewise, my bull-buying decisions will not bear fruit until the next calf crop, or until those daughters enter my cowherd, or until those daughters have calves of their own.
We live in a society that wants instant gratification and results, but nature works on its own timeline. Genetic progress is achieved over time. This means that we should begin the process right away! The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is today. Similarly, the best time to improve your genetics through better bulls was 20 years ago. However, the second-best time is right now. Planning, research, management, and goal setting all require effort. Thinking outside the box requires effort. Challenging the status quo requires effort. If you put the effort in today, you will get the results you want years down the road.