As my time in the blue jacket starts dwindling, I am thinking back on all the great memories I have had. The amazing friendships I’ve made, the experiences I have taken hold of and the words of wisdom and advice I’ve heard and taken to heart. Some of my favorite advice has been “do it anyway;” “soak in this feeling of hurt, it will make rewards feel that much better;” “do what makes you happy;” “walk out of the interview room with a smile, then laugh”; “remember who you’re doing this for;”and “we don’t have problems we only have solutions”. These quotes from my mentors over the years have come in handy in many different situations but when they all came together for me is when I repeatedly heard a common phrase we hear as agriculturists and FFA members. “We are the future of our industry.” What does that phrase really mean? Do we take it with a grain of salt? Do we just respond with a nod and smile? Do we even give it a second thought? I know I did not until just recently while my team and I were facilitating Greenhand Motivational Conferences. I told our Greenhands that they were the future of our organization. Saying it was more than just repeating words; it was a call to action, a challenge that I hope they accepted: to continue making FFA the largest student lead organization in the nation. I hope it was a call to action to continue representing with pride, honor and respect for ourselves and others. So, when we hear “you’re the future” instead of nodding and smiling, start dreaming and aspiring to make it that much better and continue to hold up the traditions!