What are your “Antics” getting you?

Go to the Ant you sluggard, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest.  Pr 6:6-8

I was sitting on my porch the other day just enjoying some Iced tea and relaxing a bit watching the humming birds come and go, when I noticed something.  Ants!  Crawling on the out side of the humming bird feeder!  I thought now how did they get up there and worse yet how did they find it?

Ants have a canny way of finding things that we leave out whether sweet, sour or neither (they seem to like protein as well).  And once found, they put all their energy into “harvesting” the source before someone takes it away or it’s all gone.  Once depleted (or removed) they move on looking for the next source of sustenance for their colony.  In fact they probably have scouts out looking elsewhere before the current source is gone.  I think that’s what I saw – scouts.  I only saw a few ants crawling up and down, the feeder was empty and it hadn’t been refilled in awhile.

But once I did refill the bird feeder the supply chain started again.  Ants by the droves showed up to gather the juice and sugar crystals as well and return it to their home. Where once back in the colony will be put to use to nourish the others who are doing the stuff required to maintain the functioning of the home base.  I think we can learn a couple things from those little ants:

1. Keep your eyes open – The world is constantly changing and there is always some new need to be met or product to be created.  Don’t stagnate, just because what you are making and selling today is doing well doesn’t mean it will be next year.  Keep looking around see and hear what people are doing what’s selling or not, what’s popular what’s not.  If you keep an eye open to what’s happening or what skills are needed you will be in a good position to strike and reap the harvest.
2. Do YOUR part – Do what you know how to do – each ant in a colony has a specific role.  Worker ants are not scouts, scouts don’t feed the queen, warrior ants fight workers don’t.  Don’t try something you’re not good at or lack skills to succeed.  If you can learn those skills and want to then by all means go ahead but doing something half way or too many things at once will keep you from success.  Narrow it down and be happy to operate within your skill set and passions.
3. Be persistent – Those ants had to work to get up there to that bird feeder, then crawl down the support wire, continue down the glass to the water (or dried sugar) and then return to who knows where.  I have no idea where their colony is located but they found the food and when the water came back they brought in reinforcements.  You may not strike it with your first idea or your second or your fifth but that sixth idea or 10th just might be the one you’ve been waiting for.  Don’t stop until you find water or pay dirt.

Those points are applicable, whether job hunting or developing your own small business.  Solomon had it right when he admonishes us to consider the Ant and as you do, remember to keep your eyes open because the next opportunity could be right around the corner.

Until next week.

Tim