Page 29 - January 2022 Barbecue News Magazine

Planning Requires Work
The story of Cinderella tells us if we would like to attend the Grand Ball, we just need a Fairy Godmother to bibbidi bobbidi boo us there. However, for us regular people, our fairy godmother is named, ‘Work.’ It doesn’t matter how many dreams we plan to accomplish, or milestones we wish to reach, if we’re not willing to spend the time working to get there. There’s always work to be done. So once the goal is set, the plans laid out, we must ask ourselves if we’re willing to put in the work. If we decide the work isn’t worth it, then scrap that dream because it will never happen. Growing up, I always heard the saying, “Anything worth having, is worth working for.” In our instant society, this is easy to forget, but we soon realize how true this is if our destination is really what we want. Work isn’t easy but it can be fun when we keep our end goal in mind. It’s when we lose sight of our goal and those little wins that the work necessary becomes daunting.
Planning Means Overcoming Obstacles
I’m reminded of the 2016 Super Bowl between the Patriots and the Falcons. At halftime it looked as if Tom Brady would be thwarted in his quest to win his fifth Super Bowl when the score was 28-3. If you remember this game, then you know it became the largest comeback in Super Bowl history as the Patriots scored the win in overtime (another first). This team had a goal and was not going to let any ob- stacles stand in their way. After halftime, they came back working toward their goal regardless of what was in their way and scored the win. It’s easy to allow discouragement to enter in when obstacles get in the way of the plan. Espe- cially when some of these obstacles can be of our own mak- ing. It’s the determination to overcome these obstacles in our planning that will make all the difference.
Whether you are traveling, cooking, or setting up your five- year goal, planning is indispensable when seeking to be successful. As we begin this new year, take the time needed to lay out the plans (on paper would be best) to reach each of your goals and make 2022 the best year ever.
Why NBBQA
As we head into this new year, we are starting a new cam- paign called, “Why NBBQA.” The goal of this is to remind us how great our association really is. Why did we join? Why do we continue to share the NBBQA with our friends? Is it the knowledge embedded in the sessions online or in person? Is it the networking we have with experts in the BBQ world? Whatever it is, we want to hear from you, “Why NBBQA.” Send us a message on Facebook or email (info@nbbqa.org) to let us know. We will use some of these in our marketing for 2022 to recruit others to join this as- sociation we love.
Awards of Excellence
Keep in mind there are only a few more days for you to ship your Awards of Excellence submission. Your submission needs to be postmarked by January 14th. Judging will be taking place February 4th & 5th in Byhalia, MS at Sweet Swine ‘O Mine. If you would like to volunteer to judge, you can also sign up for this as well. Register for your submis- sion or to be a judge at www.NBBQA.org.
2022 Conference...STAY TUNED!
As you know, we emailed our NBBQA family about the Na- tional Conference. Stay tuned to our social media and newsletters for more information as it becomes available. If you are like me, then you are ready to get back together with everyone. 2022 is already looking better!
Join Now
www.NBBQA.org
Memberships start at $99 per year
JANUARY 2022
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