Nothing Works Unless You Do

Many of my favorite quotes have come from Maya Angelou. Early this week my phone reminded me of this simple quote she gave, "nothing will work unless you do,". That 6-word pep talk came at the perfect time. We’ve been pushing incredibly hard on some big projects and initiatives, and we’re blessed that several of them have gained momentum and are transitioning from just a vision to giant wins for our farmers, our cooperative, and even the system as a whole. These types of projects don’t happen just within the confines of our team, they require participation from a huge network of agricultural partners (see what I did there 😉) and other industry participants. Getting momentum can be hard, and once you have it, you can’t let up or it can die quickly before it establishes it own engine. With that stage set, I’ll admit that I was dragging and needing a boost. Luckily for me Maya Angelou once again came to the rescue.

I’m blessed that every day at Ag Partners Cooperative, Inc, I get to see the embodiment of this principle. Whether it's our team on the ground striving to provide seamless operations or our back-office team ensuring the thousands of moving pieces are accounted for, the heartbeat of our success is the never-ending effort of every individual. It's the early mornings, the late nights, and the commitment not to settle for what's easy but to fight for what's right.

Something I think it’s easy to forget is the essence of Angelou’s statement extends beyond the confines of our work. It reaches into every aspect of our lives. Our personal health, relationships, home life, spiritual growth—each requires our active participation. We must do the work of building, caring, and evolving. Basically, the grass is greener where you water it.

That leads me to this week’s challenge… Find an area where you've perhaps been waiting for results without putting in the necessary work. Is it a project? A relationship? Maybe a personal goal? Identify it and then take a deliberate step towards involvement. Engage actively, make the effort, and do everything in your power to water the grass.

The gears of progress are turned by our hands. So, whether you’re ensuring a field gets planted, your spouse and family know they are loved, or your community stays strong, remember that nothing will work unless you do.

I'm thankful you took the went to work today, you took the time to read this, and for being a part of what makes this world wonderful!