Have You Heard of the 5 F’s?

Recently, my Father-in-Law passed away, just three weeks before his 91^st birthday. He had lived a very successful life and was very respected in his Church and Farming Community. Fortunately, my bride and I were able to spend four hours with him the afternoon before his life ended.

My reason for sharing this with you is that he reminded us to always remember the “5 F’s.” Of course, we asked, “What are the 5 F’s?” To which he replied: Faith, Family, Friends, Farming and Football. Please allow me share what I believe he would want each of us to remember about these five points.

• Faith – He primarily meant for us to maintain our Christian Faith, and I agree with this. However, he may have also been suggesting that we should have faith in our country, our economy and our 250-year history as a nation. Have we been 100% perfect? No, but I don’t see anyone climbing walls to get out, only to get in… As Victor Davis Hanson has stated the “Tribalism” in the U.S. needs to stop and so does the movement toward socialism & communism. It’s a “dead end.”
• Family – Most of us wouldn’t amount to much without this ongoing support, whether it is from our parents, grandparents, our spouse and our children. My suggestion? Communicate with them, stay involved in their lives and keep them updated. In the case of many readers of this column who operate farms or other small businesses, keeping close contact with your children is a great idea. Their efforts may even represent your retirement at some point.
• Friends – We all have them and should share our ideas with them. I would include your Clients and Co-workers in this category, too. As the saying goes, “Be nice to people as you climb the ladder of success, because they are the same ones you’ll meet if you are ever on your way back down.” And on the sharing of ideas, it used to be that we were best served by “protecting” our ideas. Today, in contrast to that, the worst thing you can do is to remain “undiscovered.” It can cause you to be left behind.
• Farming – This one is self-explanatory. My Father-in-Law took great pride in his farming community, his friends who were in it, and all that they meant to each other, as well as their willingness to help each other, as needed. If you are a farmer reading this, you already know this.
• Football – I understand that not all of you are fans of the Kansas City Chiefs, but my wife’s father was an avid Chiefs fan. I believe that is why this “F” made his top 5 list. It was not more important than the other four, but he loved the Chiefs and felt that football represented a positive example of teamwork and camaraderie, while seeking a common objective.

Hopefully, you can relate to these “5 F’s.” They represent a positive model by which he lived and one that all of us should strive to attain.

“You cannot connect the dots, going forward, only looking back, so trust the future.”

Steve Jobs, Co-Founder of Apple

Let’s take your business to the Next Level!