Beef Blurb

Shelby Diehm

director of youth activities, director of marketing & communications

Catching Greenlights

When I was on my 12-hour drive by myself to Kansas from Houston after NCBA, I decided to listen to an audiobook. Typically, I am more of a listen to music or talk on the phone driver, I don’t even like podcasts much, but I had been interested in Matthew McConaughey’s memoir. McConaughey’s book was about a seven hour listen and narrated by the man himself, which is one of the reasons I originally was interested.

The book titled Greenlights goes through McConaughey’s life story the hardships, failures, and successes. It includes tidbits of life advice and wisdom he has gained along the way, bumper stickers and greenlights as he calls them. He calls it his love letter to life.

“Greenlights mean go – advance, carry on, continue…they say proceed. In our lives, they are affirmation of our way. They’re approvals, support, praise, gifts, gas on the fire, attaboys and appetites. They’re cash money, birth, springtime, health, success, joy, sustainability, innocence, and fresh starts. We love greenlights. They say yes and give us what we want.”

He goes to say yellow and red lights are detours or stops along the way. They may slow us down and make life hard. Yellow and red lights say no but sometimes can be what we need to lead us to the next greenlight.

Catching the greenlights in life is about intent, resilience, discipline and more. It is about how we see the challenge in front of us and how we decide to face that challenge. It is about more yeses than nos.

As I listened to this book, I felt that McConaughey’s advice and outlook on life was relatable. Not only in my daily life but my job and for the members of the breed. Everyone has goals to reach in life whether it is receiving a red coat to serving on the junior board or maybe it is winning Grand Champion Female at a national show. You could have the goal of raising your own herd of cattle. It doesn’t matter what your goal is just that you catch the lights that help you reach that goal.

“We cannot fully appreciate the light without the shadows. We have to be thrown off balance to find out footing. It is better to jump than fall.”

Life’s challenges along the way could be your yellow or red light that you needed to find your footing to reach your greenlight.

Make your goals, make your plans, embrace the good and bad. It is all part of life. McConaughey says life is our resume and our story to tell. Live in the way that you want to look back on the life you have.

Another piece of advice that I feel is relevant to the Shorthorn members is begin with the end in mind. Figure out your goals, what you want to accomplish in the end. And work to achieve that while living your life.

As we are getting closer to the National Junior Shorthorn Show & Youth Conference, junior members will be setting their goals for the week. Maybe you want to win the speech contest, run for the board, get a scholarship, or win a show.

I highly recommend the audiobook, Kindle book or paper book - whatever is your preference. McConaughey’s outlook on life is different than your typical memoir or personal growth book. Even if you don’t agree with him his views or each portion, it was engaging and I couldn’t stop listening. It made me think about my life and the ‘lights’ that made a difference for where I am now.

I want to challenge you to set some goals whether they are short or long term, small or big goals. Set some and make them happen. That is your greenlight. =

Top 8 favorite bumperstickers in Greenlights (because I couldn’t pick just 5) 1. Words are momentary, intent is momentous. 2. The best way to teach is the way that is most understood. 2. I’ll take a little common sense with that knowledge. 3. Common sense is like money and healthy, once you have it, you have to work to keep it. 4. Sometimes which choice you make is not as important as making a choice and committing to it. 5. Great leaders are not always in front. They also know who to follow. 6. Some people look for an excuse to DO. Others look for an excuse NOT to. 7. The arrow doesn’t seek the target, the target draws the arrow. 8. Life. Like Architecture, is a verb. If designed well, it works. It’s beautiful. And it needs no directions. It needs maintenance.