Bring on the Harvest

I love fall, it’s my favorite season. This time of year is spectacular in South Central PA where we see the fields being plowed and the trees changing to golden reds and rich orange color schemes. This time of year is also a tremendous metaphor for assessing our own life harvest. Is my harvest bountiful, or did the crops not yield the desired results? Fall is a recurring reminder that we can never be so-so about what we sow in life. Hard work is reflected in the harvest.

I’m in the great state of Iowa this week sharing with a group of business leaders and entrepreneurs about staying on the path to prosperity. They’re experiencing the fruits of their labor after nearly a decade of hard work, collaboration, and creativity. Their storehouses are full, but they understand it takes intentionality to maintain hardiness and abundance. Now that they can see the forest through the trees, how do they maintain their lead and keep building the momentum and community outreach? The keys to maintaining and keeping prosperity are the same keys it took to get to their current level of fruitfulness.

The Right Timing entails patience. Every time you meet a goal, another goal is created. There are two reasons for this; the external environment is continually changing, and your internal terrain is continuously growing. If you have achieved success, take some time to rejoice, reflect, and relax because tomorrow you'll be right back in the game. Just like the seasons, it’s a never-ending process.

The Right Attitude requires positivity. Regardless of what we bring in, there's a joy in the harvest. We do our best and sow where we think we'll produce the most significant yield, but in the end, some things do fall beyond our control. Whether you're in feast or famine mode, knowing we’ve done everything we could have done makes for a positive farmer. Then, it’s time to begin strategizing for next year.

The Right Reason centers on purpose. Avoid gazing at other people’s fields and stay focused on your own. Mission drift has sunk more great enterprises than anything else. Your fields need your focus and attention so stay on target. Consider your work as anointed and dig in with commitment. When you do this, you keep your eyes on the plow and moving forward, versus veering off into unknown territory.

The Right People is about personnel. You can’t get it right without the right people and you can’t create chicken salad from chicken crap. All the laborers in the field have to be committed; otherwise, you're going to have waste. Assemble a team of great fellow laborers who are common people who produce uncommon results. The harvest is indeed plentiful, and you’ll need help to carry the load.

Check out my free Seasons of Leadership webinar: Here Comes the Harvest to learn how you can continue on the path to prosperity!!