4 Ways FFA Shaped My Life for the Better
My daughter reached into the crate and picked up a small piglet. As she turned to hand the squealing pig over to her little sister, I felt my eyes leak a little. It was a quick moment amidst a busy morning, but it caused me to stop in my tracks for a minute.
It’s FFA Week and the Unity FFA program was running on all cylinders this morning. From caring for a sow and piglets and tending to the plants in the greenhouse to grilling pork chops and practicing for the upcoming meats judging contest, the place was hopping.
As I drove away, I couldn’t help but be thankful our school has a great FFA program. Both my husband and I benefited from people who invested in us during our FFA years, helping us grow personally and professionally. Today we get to watch our kids be mentored and shaped by others who give freely of their time and energy to invest in making them better.
FFA has been life-changing in more ways than I ever imagined it would be when I was younger. I thought it was about winning awards and reaching goals, maybe learning a little parliamentary procedure along the way. But now, as a mom, I see things quite differently. I see how important the entire process was – not just the results at the end – in shaping who I am today.
Here are four lessons I’ve learned from FFA that have made my life better.
1. Achieving your goals won’t be easy.
Sometimes goals are painted as these bright shining stars that we aim for in life. But the truth is, pursuing goals looks a lot like hard work and more hard work added on top. It can take you down some challenging, and even lonely, roads. If you want to achieve your highest potential, you have to practice harder than your competition. You have to invest more into your pursuits. When others stop to take a break, you get in one more practice. It’s not easy to miss out on some things so you can stay focused on your goals, but when you are done, you will feel a sense of satisfaction and pride that only comes from putting in the time.
2. Your losses make you better.
As someone who struggles with the overwhelming temptation to be a little competitive, I remind myself often that it’s the losses that help me the most in life. The more you put yourself out there, the more you learn to accept the wins with the losses and build on them. We won’t win all the time in life – it’s just not possible. But learning how to roll with the punches and dust ourselves off after we fall helps us develop an inner strength and stamina that will set us up for success.
3. You’ll never know if you don’t try.
I am pretty sure I threatened our ag teacher once this fall because my son, who is in eighth grade, was all about this approach. I admit I’m a little envious that he already has it figured out. You won’t know what could be if you never give it a shot. It seemed like every other day my son was coming home to tell me which new contest he was going to participate in. At times I wanted to question if it was a good idea. For example, he participated in a crops judging contest and our livestock-showing kid doesn’t have much knowledge of crops at all. But guess what? He made some made mistakes. He also got quite a few right. But most importantly, he learned. A lot. I love seeing how FFA opens doors to try new things and uncover unexpected passions.
4. Life isn’t just about you.
Here’s another important lesson FFA taught me. Giving back feels good. Giving back isn’t just about the recipient – it’s also about the giver. I don’t think my oldest daughter could have been more fulfilled than when she passed that piglet over to her sister. I know it was a little thing. But sometimes the little things are the big things in life. She’s a sophomore. She had things to do. She didn’t have to prioritize that time with her little sister. But she’s learned that there’s something awfully rewarding about helping someone else. FFA provides countless opportunities for young people to discover this life-changing truth.
Read More:
12 Reasons Why We Need FFA More Than Ever
