A Natural Born Leader

Who do you admire? Who do you want to be like? And more importantly, why is it that you admire this person and want to be like them?

One person I have always admired and wanted to be like was Matt Anderson. If you're reading this, chances are you know who Matt was. He served as the Wisconsin State FFA President during my senior year of high school. He had a huge impact on my life not only because of his passion for FFA, but because of the person he was. He was fun, sincere, and showed a genuine interest in others. Whenever I talked to him, I felt like I was the only thing he was worried about, even though I am sure he had a ton of things on his mind during some of the events we spoke at. Matt was a great person and he always knew just what to do in every situation. For these reasons and many others, I truly admired Matt and wanted to be just like him...and still do.

Two years ago today, Matt passed away in a tragic farming accident. I'll never forget the moment I heard the news and I instantly broke down. How could someone so wonderful who had a passion for life and the things he did pass away? Especially at such a young age? These questions are ones that will never have any answers. Matt's legacy truly does carry on. Bracelets were made in his memory and I have never taken mine off since I got it. It serves as a constant daily reminder for me to live the life Matt lived. He was a great person and I do not know one person who could say a bad thing about him.

So who is it that you admire? Who is it that you want to be like? This person is different for each and every one of us; however, I think that there is one person in each of our lives who will always have that impact on us and the things we do. But more importantly, are you living a life that makes others admire you and want to be like you? If not, how can you change your approaches on a daily basis? If yes, continue to make that positive impact on others because you never know who is watching you in complete admiration.