Importance of a busy life

What would you describe as your ideal life? Maybe the perfect life for someone is relaxing in the sun, next to a pool all day every day. Or maybe being extremely wealthy constitutes someone else’s ‘perfect’ life. Perhaps your ideal life is simply to have a family and a house on a couple of acres where you can raise livestock or crops. Regardless of what that looks like to you, this thought of an ideal life is in the back of all of our minds. Everything we do on a daily basis is influenced in part by how it will help put us in a better position in the future. 

Personally, I have done a lot of thinking about what my ideal life would be. Having that in mind has helped me decide to pursue a college degree. It helped me decide to attend WIU after I finished my associate’s degree at Black Hawk East. Looking to the future has motivated me strongly to get involved in livestock judging while at college. And there is a multitude of other difficult decisions I have made with the future in mind, as obvious as that might seem. 

My last year in 4H at my local county fair

Jack of all trades

Growing up with four younger siblings on a family farm, it would be an understatement to say we were busy. Between sports practices, school, 4H, and the inevitable chores at home, many friends and relatives would joke with my family about not finding time to sleep. And it often felt like that. From a young age, my parents made two things very clear to me. First, you can never know if you will like something if you don’t try it. And second, you are ALWAYS expected to help out at home. I used to think these two ‘rules’ really conflicted with each other. Being a four-sport athlete also involved in student council, FFA, and numerous other activities throughout high school I took the first one to heart. I tried everything I could. And more often than not, I enjoyed it.

That dreaded second rule was difficult though. After showing up to school at six o’clock most mornings for sports practices or meetings, then staying often until six or seven o’clock each evening after school, the last thing I wanted to do at home was haul round bales or work with calves late into the night. But it happened, more often than not. This busy life felt like it was wearing me thin at the time. But looking back on it, as well as ahead at my future, it is exactly what was needed to prepare me for where I am now.

State cross country my senior year was just one of many unforgettable memories that were only possible through support from friends and family

It is the journey, not the destination

In my free time, I enjoy listening to podcasts of all kinds. In particular, I have a fascination with listening to conversations of people much smarter than I could ever hope to be discussing subjects I can at most barely grasp. This has led me to a prominent Canadian Psychologist named Jordan Peterson. Mr. Peterson has streamed many of his lectures over philosophical topics as well as interviews on his podcast channel, and one topic he delves into regularly never fails to pique my interest. His analysis of ‘happiness’ for lack of a better term hit me hard a few years ago when he explained rather straightforwardly, yet profoundly that “we are not happy, technically speaking, unless we see ourselves progressing- and the very idea of progression implies value”. It was only after I got to college and did not have things to keep me occupied essentially around the clock that this quote clicked with me. Looking back on my high school experience, it is not the tired, achy feelings in the morning that stick out. It is the academic all-state in cross country or being valedictorian of my graduating class that I remember.

Turning back toward the future, this is a major factor in making decisions today. I purposely put as much on my plate as I can possibly handle. Because then, when I am able to ‘handle’ it, I will not only have a fuller sense of accomplishment, but practically speaking, I will literally have accomplished more. All those years of my parents pushing me to my limit, that progression was what they were aiming at. It just wasn’t articulated. Obviously, balance is necessary for life. But so is growth. And the only way to grow is through discomfort. So there is genuinely nothing I would trade my ‘busy’ childhood for looking back. And looking to the future, my idea of the ideal life is a busy life. Because if you are working on something, you are working toward something. And it is in that progress toward a goal that not only where the best lessons are learned, but that is where happiness itself can truly be found.

“We are not happy, technically speaking, unless we see ourselves progressing- and the very idea of progression implies value”

-Jordan B. Peterson, Canadian clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology

About the Author

Hello, my name is Jeb Schwager and I am from Bellevue, Iowa. I am currently a junior at Western Illinois University where I am majoring in Ag Business and minoring in Animal Science along with Political Science. I would like to thank you for reading my blog!

Get comfortable being uncomfortable

Steve Harvey says it best- “Success is not a comfortable procedure.You have to be comfortable, being uncomfortable.” Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone will not only allow you to be successful, but also teach you a lot about yourself.  Everyone wants to be successful, but does everyone know what it takes? I sure didn’t, and some would argue I still don’t. I do know that I now live by that quote, and have been pushing myself through all sorts of comfort zones since then. There are many different ways to measure success, but one of the ways I now measure it is how comfortable I feel in a situation I used to feel uncomfortable in. 

I had always told myself that I wasn’t going to go to college, as you can see, that changed drastically. Freshman year I knew no one, and I committed myself to getting to know lifelong friends and join clubs and organizations that would not only help me academically but also help me grow as a person. I never was the extrovert that made friends easily. I can tell you about my first class at WIU and who I talked to. I joined Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR) and Agribusiness club my freshman year, allowing me to comfortably associate with other students with the same majors and aspirations as me. Uncomfortable->Comfortable=Success. 

The next semester I took my first leadership role, through Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC). As the finance chair I made budgets, paid bills, and helped other members of the IFC team. This helped me get comfortable working as a team, as well as completing projects on my team. Uncomfortable->Comfortable=Success. 

While in IFC, I took a Mass Communications class, one of my weakest links as an individual. I could not give a presentation or speak in front of big groups effectively. That class tossed my comfort zone to the side and helped me tremendously. Uncomfortable->Comfortable=Success. 

Fast forward a few years and I am the Noble Ruler of AGR. Leading, while learning, with our chapter to do great things in the Macomb community. This has helped with team communication, team management and overall compatibility with other people. Uncomfortable->Comfortable=Success. 

AGR Smokin’ Hog 2020

The most uncomfortable situation yet, I accepted an internship for the 2021 summer in a state that I’d never been in, a town I never heard of, and a boss that I only spoke to on the phone. I’ve never had such a great experience, learned so much, met so many new and incredible people in such a short period of time. This experience allowed me to learn incredible things, network, and get comfortable being on my own. I can not thank them enough for how they truly made that the most memorable and comfortable experience. Uncomfortable->Comfortable=Success.

~300 pairs, Horizon View Farms, South Dakota

To all of the people that I have met along the way, that have helped me, that I have worked for or with, and to all the experiences that have pushed me out of my comfort zone; thank you for contributing to my success thus far. We aren’t there yet, but we are getting closer. I encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to new tasks and situations, all which will benefit you in the long run. 

If you’re ever in need of motivation, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5Pt6ys9Cns

Hello, my name is Cameron Kessling, I am a senior here at WIU with a major in Agriculture Science with an emphasis in Animal Science. I appreciate you reading my blog.

Growing into Ag

By: Lucas Howett

When I was growing up, I had no real ag experience. I lived in the country but did not grow up farming or really any ag connection. The closest thing that I had to ag was my cousin who farmed and showed cattle, but other than that had no real connection with ag.

Going into middle school, that changed. I took my first ag class and instantly fell in love. It was just an intro class and I learned so much than any other class in middle school. When I started to go to the 8th grade, that is where I took my first full year ag class. That was where we thought about what we wanted to do full time. This was the first time felt like I wanted to be in the ag industry and work.

When I went to high school that is where my ag adventure really took off. The summer of my freshmen year I started to Rough corn. It was a physically demanding job and taught me how to work hard. It was not the most glamours job, but it was my first real life introduction to crop science. I did this job all the way until my senior year. Every year I would learn something new about seed corn and how it worked. Also in high school I did FFA. I was not the most involved in it because I was heavily involved in athletics, however I was on the crop judging team. We qualified for state a couple of times and going to practices I learned that I enjoyed memorizing the plants and seeds.

The summer before going to Western, I took a job as a crop scout. It was by far the best job I have ever had. At first I was not really good. Over time and with some mistakes along the way I became better and better. I learned so much that summer. More than I ever did in a class room setting. The second year I was able to help soil sample about 8,000 acres. It was some of the hardest work I have ever done in my life and it was the longest I have ever worked, but in all of it I enjoyed it. Also again, I learned a good amount and even used what I learned in my first year of college in the field. The third year I worked as a crop scout was a big step up from where I was the first two. I was in charge of a crew. I never thought I would be put into a role of leadership, but there I was. We were in charge of a good amount of acres south of where we were stationed. We would go there ever couple weeks and in between, we would look at other clients we had. However, this past year was the best year in my opinion. I was still in charge of a crew, but this time we had the opportunity to look at new seed corn acres. This was huge because I got to go back to my roots and look at seed corn. It also was a big responsibility since it was a new area and we have never been there before, but by the end of the summer I knew it like the back of my hand since we had to be there once a week.

Coming to Western I was excited but nervous. In high school I could get away not growing up on a farm, but I still felt like an outcast. I was nervous about that and with college classes I did not know if there was some lingo I would not get. I was totally wrong. If felt like I deserved to be there. Even though I never grew up farming or showing animals, I felt like if people are willing to work hard then you can get a good understanding how ag works. I can not wait to start my next journey after college because I plan on going back to the agronomy firm I worked for as a crop scout and start to become a Crop Advisor.

Picture Via Tom Farms

Thanks for reading,

Lucas Howett

#WIUag #newaggie #agronomy #cropscout