Celebrate success today, not just give thanks

Thanksgiving is about more than being grateful for the things you have. The pilgrims were not just thankful for the food, but that the fruits of their labors were not in vain and resulted in a successful harvest. The underlying theme is that effort = production.

But we know that all effort does not result in the same amount of production. If it did, there would be no surprises and nothing to celebrate. The outcome would be expected. Calculated luck is involved, where preparedness meets opportunity.

Having a farm in the Hearn family for neary 150 years (2018 will be 150 years) in northern Indiana taught the Hearn generations a lot. My ancestors invested in seed, live stock and eventually equipment. They monitored the weather and made educated decisions on when to plant, when to spray, and when to harvest. But they could not control the frost, the rain or the sun. They had to be ready to adapt and change their efforts when new circumstances arose. As a result, some years they produced more and others less.

Take this time to reflect not just on what you are thankful for, but how your efforts are shaping your life. The small things that you have done every day for the first 47 weeks of 2014 that have moved you closer to your goals. And celebrate in that success, however small or large. It’s important to know that we are not toiling in vain.

The same concept extends to our personal lives. It takes time and effort to master a hobby, forge a new relationship or quit a bad habit. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on these achievements and the achievements of our loved ones.

This year I am thankful that fourteen plus years of taking risks to build Crown with lots of blood sweat and tears resulted in a successful sale and integration with Razorfish, where our team can accomplish even more. I am grateful that after testing and testing and testing, we found a new propeller/setup for racing that blows our old set-ups out of the water. In celebration of the achievements of my loved ones, I am thankful that my daughter Lauren took a huge step in discovering herself and pushing her comfort limits this past summer. My wife Susan for her huge efforts to help those around her in need this year. And my son Grant for continuing to evaluate his decisions and set goals for his future.

This year, my Thanksgiving will be a celebration of these efforts. What are you celebrating?

PS.  Every year I rode in our manure spreader across the freshly harvested fields to cut our own firewood for the winter.  This same manure spreader had the capability of stinking up the entire county on spreading days...