The 30-Minute Rule is a very simple concept. You get 30 minutes to have a reaction about a situation. This is mainly for situations that don’t go well, ones you get sad or mad about. My dad was the first one to ever mention it to me. He said the 30 minutes would allow me to feel what I needed to, but also be ready for the next opportunity. This has applied to me a lot recently. 

I did the Ag Sales contest this past year. Some contests would go really well while others would not go well at all. I realized if I was going to learn anything from the contests that didn’t go well, I needed to move on. If I would just change my mindset and move on, all would be well. I found that once I moved on from this contest not going well, I found memories I would never forget. After our district contest, one of my teammates spilled sauce all over her official dress. If I was still so focused on how I did at districts, I never would have been able to enjoy the humor of that moment. This memory might have made a mess, but it sure was a fun mess. 

Missouri FFA, I want to encourage you to adapt the 30-Minute Rule into your life. Take the 30 minutes and feel what you need to feel. Get all the emotions out before moving on. After 30 minutes, focus on the good. Use your time to look for the next opportunity. It might be even better than the one you just had.