Four hours.
One small crappie.
Soft Mississippi mud up to my calves.
And CeCe still wondering why anyone would voluntarily get out of a perfectly good boat and wade into cold water.
That was my morning. Not totally unexpected, this is very early season.
I had scouted this oxbow twice already, searching for the right structure, the right depth, the right cover. Fourteen miles of water and only a few weeks each year when spawning crappie slide shallow enough to reach on foot.
Was it productive?
Not on the stringer.
But absolutely in preparation.
Because early wading trips aren’t really about limits.
They’re about learning.
They’re about experimenting with jig colors, finding the ideal structure with a hard bottom, testing new setups, working out the kinks in my equipment, and getting my legs back in shape. They’re about discovering this year’s pattern before the crowd shows up.
Every spawn is different.
The structure changes.
The depth shifts.
The color preference can change by the hour.
If you wait until everyone else is catching fish before you wade in, you’re already behind.
And as I turned the truck south toward home, it hit me:
This is exactly how I approach AI.
Wade In Before It’s Comfortable
With AI, you have to wade in early.
Not when there’s a perfect use case.
Not when someone hands you a polished playbook.
Not when your competitors have already figured it out.
Early experimentation builds instinct.
You learn which tools fit your workflow.
You learn how prompts change outcomes.
You learn where the limits are.
You learn where the upside lives.
You grow the AI tools knowledge of your unique needs.
Just like fishing in different spots and structures, you don’t discover leverage (a competitive advantage) by reading about it — you discover it by trying it.
Curiosity becomes a competitive advantage.
And in an exponential world, a learning mindset wins every time.
Hard Trends Don’t Wait for Consensus
Every year, crappie behave differently.
But they will spawn.
That’s a hard trend.
The same is true with AI. It’s not optional. It’s not theoretical. It’s not slowing down because we’re uncomfortable.
Hard trends don’t care about hesitation, and simply knowing it is here is not sufficient.
The professionals I worry about most are the ones waiting for certainty before starting.
Waiting only guarantees you’ll follow.
Wading early gives you leverage.
Uncommon Discipline Wins
Experimenting with AI takes discipline.
It’s easier to default to what we already know.
It’s easier to say, “I just don’t have time.”
It’s easier to let the tools sit in the box.
But growth rarely feels efficient in the beginning.
Sometimes you don’t need to refill.
You need one more squeeze.
The early discomfort is not evidence you shouldn’t be there.
It’s evidence you’re learning. Build confidence in the small steps of progress to build more momentum.
Early Waders Catch the Best Spots
When the lake fills up with waders during the spawn, I already know where I’m going.
I’ve done the experimenting.
I’ve found the structure.
I’ve tested the colors.
I move quickly because I’ve learned early.
The same will be true with AI.
The leaders who experiment now will move faster later.
They’ll identify opportunities others miss.
They’ll send the “big crappie picture” first.
And I’ll admit — I’ve never hated being first in our wading group to share that photo.
So Let Me Ask You
What AI tool are you experimenting with this week?
What prompt are you refining?
What small project are you testing?
Don’t wait for the perfect case study.
Wade in.
Move to different spots.
Work out the kinks.
Try different colors.
Get muddy.
Because the future doesn’t reward spectators.
It rewards early learners.
And always remember to #beBetter.
John O’Leary says: “Read it now! This journey in Leading with Significance to build a magnetic workplace reveals not only where God, faith and belonging intersect to create a magnetic culture but practical ideas and poignant stories to ensure you create it within your organization.”
Grab your copy of Leading with Significance to find more magnetic insights to help you on your unique journey.
For more information on my presentations or to access my beBetter blog library go to joeyhavens.com.
