Living on a farm, I’ve realized that there is a LOT of upkeep! Our list of “to dos” grows weekly, but I am learning a lot. Recently, we were cleaning out some shrubs along the fence and noticed a rather large (by my standards!) hole in the ground…

Now, big holes in the yard are a new occurrence for me. I’ve seen squirrels and possums before, but this hole houses something much larger! If I’m being completely honest, I try not to look at it when I mow the grass or walk by. Avoidance is way easier than imagining what lives there!

Last week, I heard loud clanking noises outside the window right before I went to bed. We live a good half mile from our neighbors, so the only thing it could have been was the feared hole dwellers. We had seen remnants of them on occasion, but this was going to be our first sighting.

As we looked out the window, all we could do was laugh. It was two armadillos! They were running as fast as they could (which isn’t very fast), with their bodies clanking together as they hit the concrete patio. When they were out of sight, we heard one more round of clanks as they skidded into tools on the porch. I can’t tell you how relieved I was to find out these two were our closest neighbors!

So, what does this have to do with you? One thing I realized through this exciting encounter is the importance of upkeep. Not tending to the yard regularly led to critters moving in! While they sure are cute, in doing research and educating myself, I learned they also have the potential to cause a lot of damage.

The same goes for our careers. If we are not tending to them regularly—by keeping our skills up-to-date, staying current on trends in our industry, and following current labor market information in our area, we risk stagnation.

We also risk not being of service to our customers. Avoidance here can adversely affect our careers and limit our opportunities.

I’d like to propose a professional challenge! Take a moment to inventory your skills.

• Are there any areas that need attention?
• How are you positioned for that next raise or opportunity for advancement?
• What can you do today that will help you be of greater service to your customers?