Byron's Babbles

Every year when we put a group of cows or heifers out in our different pastures I am always amazed at how they will make paths in different parts of the pasture back to the barn, water, or area where we feed them, depending on the pasture. In the featured photo of this post I have highlighted a trail that cows close to freshening (calving) made from the woods into the main pasture leading to one of our barns. Every spring the groups make a new path; continuously taking the same route back to shelter or water. The cows find the most desirable terrain and continuously take exact same route to get there. This got me to pondering whether there was a leadership lesson in there somewhere.

Cattle always using the same trail can serve as a powerful leadership metaphor. Just as cattle repeatedly follow the same trail, effective leaders often establish clear, consistent guidelines, processes, and routines. Followers trust the path because it’s familiar and proven, which fosters stability and confidence. It emphasizes the importance of creating a dependable direction that others can rely on, encouraging continuity and collective progress.

While establishing clear guidelines and routines can promote stability, one thing to beware of is that over-reliance on them might lead to rigidity or resistance to change. If leaders become too focused on maintaining established routines, they may overlook the need for innovation or adaptiveness in response to new challenges. This can result in stagnation or an inability to respond effectively to evolving circumstances.

When I was in Montana a couple of weeks ago I spent some time in the areas where John Liver-Eating Johnson, born John Jeremiah Garrison Johnston, lived in central Montana. Also, a local Montana person recommended that I read the book, Crow Killer: The Saga of Liver-Eating Johnson by Raymond Thorp and Robert Bunker. The book is absolutely incredible and very hard to put down.

As with any book, I am finding things to think deeper about. In the book, when discussing Johnson’s ability to relax, Thorp and Bunker described the liver-eater in this way: “Johnson could always relax when there was no purpose in effort.” Thorp’s statement suggested that Johnson was adept at distinguishing between situations where effort was necessary and those where it wasn’t. When there was no clear goal or necessity, he could truly relax and be at ease, rather than feeling compelled to keep busy or exert constant effort.

From Johnson’s example, we can learn the importance of recognizing when our efforts are genuinely needed and when they might be unnecessary or counterproductive. His ability to relax when effort served no purpose highlights the value of mental discernment—knowing when to act and when to let go. Developing this awareness can help us avoid unnecessary stress, cultivate genuine relaxation, and conserve our energy for moments that truly matter. In essence, Johnson’s calmness in appropriate moments teaches us the power of mindful relaxation and the importance of discerning effort from ease.

I am reading Artemis by Andy Weir right now. He is such an incredible author and this one might be one of my favorites of his work. This is about a colony, Artemis, started on the moon. The protagonist, Jasmine “Jazz” Bashara, is a citizen of Artemis who works as delivery woman and also smuggles goods to survive in the expensive city. I don’t want to give away the plot because you need to read the book. But for the context of this post, Jazz is carrying out a rebellion to save the city. Her dad, Ammar Bashara, does not approve of her rebellion but still helps her with a welding project that is needed to be carried out. Ammar is a Muslim who works as a highly skilled welder in Artemis. He taught Jazz to weld and was talking her through a project as she was welding.

At one point Ammar said to Jazz, “You’re not in any hurry, just impatient.” This caused me to pause and to think about how many times this happens to us. We get in a hurry even though we don’t need to be; we are just impatient. When we feel hurried due to impatience, it often stems from internal feelings like frustration, anxiety, or a lack of trust in the process. Even if our outward behavior suggests we believe there’s no rush, our internal state might be pushing us to act hurriedly.

This disconnect can lead to unnecessary stress and may even affect our interactions or decision-making. In the context of Artemis, Jazz’s dad recognized this and was worried about her ability to make perfect welds because she was hurrying and did not need to hurry; she had plenty of time. Recognizing this helps us understand that patience isn’t just about external actions but also about managing our internal responses.

To address this, we can focus on mindfulness techniques—such as deep breathing or pausing before reacting—to help slow down internal impulses. Cultivating awareness of these feelings allows us to consciously choose patience over impatience, leading to more peaceful and effective outcomes.