Almost every morning John & I start the day off with a cup of hot coffee by the fire. We talk briefly about our plans for the coming day or various other topics that come to mind. This morning, we were reflecting on the events of this past year and the changes that have taken place over the last several years. Only five years ago, our farm was modeling a completely different marketing system and relying solely on the sale of our feeder calves in the fall for yearly income. Neither John, nor myself, thought we’d be selling directly to consumers within a matter of years. The transition has been challenging, but a challenge for which I’m thankful. John & I know the direction we want to take our farm, but at this stage it would be naive to say we have it all figured out. I do, however, believe we have what it takes to be a success.
While working this past week, I was listening to a podcast where the Olympic gymnast, Shawn Johnson, was being interviewed. The host suggested that the Olympics include an average person in each event to showcase the level of talent required by the competitors. An “Average Joe” watching the Olympics may joke that they could run track at an Olympic level, but in reality, they know they wouldn’t stand a chance. Yet somewhere in the world, there are young children watching the Olympics who truly believe they have what it takes to compete one day. That’s when Shawn Johnson introduced the concept of “delusional confidence”.
The term “delusional confidence” refers to believing in something that is not yet a reality. The first person to ever accomplish anything new, succeeded at the impossible. Therefore, they would’ve been considered “delusional”, until that challenge was met with success. One famous example would be that of the Wright Brothers, who were told it was impossible to fly. However, they proved the impossible, possible. Not only did this require “delusional confidence”, but it also required hard work, and the ability to fail forward.
Truth be told, success often times feels like failure, because failure is a part of success. The important lesson is to fail forward; to learn, to grow, to adjust, and gain success one area at a time. This kind of perseverance requires motivation.
Motivation can be categorized as extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation comes from someone telling you that you can accomplish a set goal. While intrinsic motivation comes from a voice within yourself, a motivation that holds yourself accountable and disciplined. The transition from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation can be divided into four steps: curiosity, continued exposure, theory crafting, & incorporating feedback (A.K.A. finding a balance between your personal ability and the goal at hand). Sometimes success isn’t in the form of reaching a set goal but by the level of improvement within yourself.
[Personally, I found the concept of extrinsic/intrinsic motivation to be quite relatable. In application to our farm, extrinsic motivation would be comparable to a parent stating, “I hope you’ll take over the family farm someday.” While intrinsic motivation comes from the personal discipline of setting your alarm clock to 4:30am and starting chores before the sun is up. It’s the everyday grind and personal accountability. It started as a curious kid who wanted to play with the farm animals, to continued exposure (learning chores & fence work), to theory crafting in the form of a college education (agricultural business & animal science), & incorporating feedback (assessing our farm’s capabilities, market demand, and limiting factors).]
Shawn Johnson concluded her interview with the statement, “Delusional confidence is required to achieve almost anything meaningful in life… you have to have this ability to believe in something that’s not yet a reality. And that is how you achieve anything.”
So, this morning, while I started my day, I had this concept of delusional confidence rattling through my brain. My “morning motivation” if you will. So, in turn, as you start your day today, I hope this too will be a motivation for you; to make the impossible possible; to learn, to grow, to adjust, and to gain success one step at a time.
Sincerely,
Mattea VanDerwerken
Central Bridge Farms