“Reasons Why”
It’s 6:30 a.m. and our alarm clocks are going off. Many of us reach over and hit snooze at least once or twice, telling ourselves that we can get ready in ten minutes. Before we know it, we’re late, throwing off our blankets and hitting the ground running. Twenty minutes later sprinting through the high school’s front door two minutes late. However, somehow the blame for our tardy slip fell on the road construction. Reaching first hour, a test was put down in front of us. Leaving the classroom, there was that sinking feeling…. that test didn’t go well. Naturally it was due to us being so upset about being late that we could not focus on the test. On to P.E. class, things have GOT to be better, only to find out that it’s the day to run a timed mile. This also happened to be the day our gym clothes had been forgotten at home. Of course, it’s someone else’s fault, they had forgotten to remind us to grab them. Don’t forget the poor grade on our mile time as our only shoe option was crocs. Finally, Ag, the best class of the day 95 percent of the time. Except today… our homework was left on the counter at home instead of being in the back pack where it belonged. This could not be our fault either, it was the shortage of time this morning.
All of this could have been avoided if we would have woken up to the first alarm. But that initial excuse was made, allowing for more until it affected the entire day. Every day we all make some type of excuse. Some are small, like making the repeated tap of the snooze button seem okay. Others leave more of an impact, like allowing a poor Career Development Event practice, because there’s always tomorrow’s practice. Causing more bad practices, then not doing well at the competition. It’s okay there’s always next year, right? It’s hard to recognize all of these excuses at first, but once one comes to light, then many are visible.
These excuses may seem small, but they limit us more than we realize. Just a little excuse made in a blink of an eye, could it really affect our day? One excuse led to another, and another, and another until five excuses later it is a habit to choose an excuse instead of owning the choice we should. Understandably easier said than done.
The hardest battles fought are the ones inside ourselves, because they’re alone. Often trying to substitute the right choice with an excuse causing limitations. It is easier to give in than to rival them, allowing excuses to be given more credit than deserved. Challenge those pesky excuses. Tonight, before we close our eyes to sleep, think of one excuse we make daily within the classroom, FFA or SAEs. Write this excuse down, then rip it up. Mentally destroy that excuse when it comes to mind. When that alarm goes off, be strong, get up and start the day. It’s usually said out of sight out of mind, but we are going to accomplish out of mind out of sight by shielding our mind from excuses. If we ignore excuses then they cannot affect the actions that are seen.
The effect of an excuse can be broad. It can not only affect us, but our classmates as well.
In school there was a student named Jacob who often felt he did not belong, but on our cross country and long-distance track team he felt right at home. Always wanting to give everything for our team. The team was just like family to Jacob. It was important to give his all when it came to team and family no matter the cost.
The February before track season Jacob was in a car wreck. Life flighted to a hospital where it was found that he had broken his spine and had a blood clot on his brain. Things did not look favorable.
Not long after hearing this grave news, practice began with our fallen team member missing. Luckily, Jacob had come out of the coma, but he was still in the hospital. A week later, it was announced he would soon return to school. After his return, his absence was still felt within the team. This is our friend who would do his warm up laps backwards, and always give his all. He was dearly missed. There was fear he would never join us again after his accident.
One day towards the end of the season, Jacob came out to the track with his physical in hand, having full intentions to run with us. As the warm up began he matched us stride for stride with a huge smile on his face. Everyone was overjoyed he was back. After a simple warm up, a high intensity workout followed. Half way through, it became apparent that Jacob was really starting to hurt.
Instead of quitting, Jacob shared with us something that is still impacting each one of us to this day. He said “I hurt today so I can do better tomorrow”. Jacob had many excuses not to run, but he still wanted to give back to our team. He wanted to be and do better to give back to us. He knew his reason why.
Here was someone who two months ago almost lost the ability to walk. He had every right to use that as an excuse to quit, but didn’t. The previous season I had hurt my knee badly, causing every race afterwards to be met with pain. Often, I slowed down during races to a more comfortable pace instead of pushing through. Hearing Jacob’s why made me regret every time I had used my knee pain as an excuse, because I had the ability to push through and didn’t. I limited myself and let down my team when giving in to an easier pace. Until that day, unlike Jacob, I had used my excuses instead of finding my reason why. Finishing that work out with him inspired our entire team to want to do better.
Steve Prefontaine was a runner who had one leg that was shorter than the other, but never let this excuse keep him from running. Deciding he was going to be the best despite the odds, and even with mismatched legs, he was able to become an Olympic medalist. Prefontaine always said: To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.
Whenever excuses are given more weight than what our best could be given, our gift is sacrificed. Each of us have many gifts, but they are limited by excuses. Our reasons why are the strength that allows us to pursue our gifts, talents or abilities, leaving excuses behind.
Don’t choose the excuse Kansas FFA, let’s justify all of our reasons why!
Kristin Isle, 2018–19 Kansas FFA State Treasurer
I don’t know about you Kansas FFA, but I want to do better tomorrow. I want to find my reasons why to be able to use my gifts and not let excuses dictate me any longer.
When struggling with our SAE’s, FFA or even just a day in the classroom, let’s think of what we are doing and the reasons behind it. If those reasons can be found, then more focus can be given to them. With more focus on the reasons of why to own our decisions, excuses can be forgotten and agriculture education can be strengthened by each of us. Tonight, after shredding the excuse made daily, think about at least one reason why to keep from making that excuse and write it on a different piece of paper. After this, put the reason somewhere we will see it often. In our wallets, in our pockets, or on our dog’s collars. It does not matter where we put it as long as it can be a daily reminder of our reason why. Every time after overcoming an excuse, let’s then challenge ourselves to repeat the process one more time to further purge ourselves of everything holding us back. This will allow us full access to our gifts instead of sacrificing them by utilizing all our reasons why. Don’t choose the excuse Kansas FFA, let’s justify all of our reasons why!