BORN ON A MONDAY
EPISODE X

MEANING & MONUMENTS

In 1919 a very expensive monument was dedicated to the boll weevil (an insect crop pest) in a town called Enterprise in the state of Alabama, USA. It was a pest that ravaged cotton farms in the American south & caused one of the greatest economic hardships of the time.

A huge plaque by the monument boldly states, “In profound appreciation of the boll weevil and what it has done as the herald of prosperity, this monument was erected by the citizens of Enterprise, Coffee County, Alabama.”

So why would a town raise a monument in honour of a destructive pest?

Well the story goes that while the pest was ravaging crops & dropping yields across the south costing billions of dollars, a local seed broker decided to take action.

Diversify!

Since cotton crop yields were dropping & driving people into debt, why not try planting another crop that can grow well in that climate & conditions.

The result? They started planting the peanut (groundnuts) & the yields were so good that it turned around their fortunes making them one of the richest localities in the area.

The erected monument out on the street cost as much as $3000 all in celebration of what the weevil did.

Why?

Well it’s not about the insect but what it represents.

Constantly through work, career & business, we are confronted with challenges & roadblocks that threaten to end us. These problems can either be the source of great pain eternally or they can become the monuments of our eventual prosperity.

These problems can turn out to be opportunities to pivot & change our direction for the better.

The question we need to ask is, what does this challenge mean? Is it a stumbling block or can it be a stepping stone?

There are three things that can affect our perception of what things mean (as described by a personal development expert):

1. The questions we ask: Instead of asking, “Why am I always having such problems” or “Why do I always pick such teams” or “Why am I so terrible?”; which automatically disempowers you. Why not ask, “How can I make this better, even if it’s just a little?”. Your brain, motivation & actions change immediately. Questions determine what we focus on. Change your focus by changing your questions.

2. Your beliefs about yourself or situations: Someone famously said that if you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. Our steps during crises are a direct result of our beliefs about the things that confront us. These beliefs are a product of our ..

3. References: Our past experiences, stories & collection of events. We usually believe we can achieve something based on the references we have (something we or someone has done before that is the same or similar).

The interesting thing is that if we increase our references (through study, observation, learning & action), we inevitably change our questions, revolutionise our beliefs & in turn expand our references.

Instead of dying in debt & insisting on growing cotton, these folks asked what they could do differently & became prosperous as a result.

The Boll Weevil continues to bring prosperity to Enterprise. They have the Weevil Nut Company, and Bowl Weevil Lanes & even the Boll Weevil soap company that sells “Unbollweevilable” lotion.😃

Again it is not about the weevil but what it means.

Don’t accept a label that doesn’t empower you.

Change your perception & meaning of that challenge & it can become the next monument of your success.

Have a productive work week & see you next Monday!

Dr Ben Wayo
DrBenWayo@aol.com

#WorkEthics
#BornOnaMonday
#PersonalDevelopment
#donotacceptdefeatforwhatyoucanrepeat