I just got back from a fabulous trip to Maine. What a beautiful state!
In all my travels I am always struck by two things:
1. The inspiring uniqueness of the area I am visiting
2. The unique qualities of Minnesota
I think there is an efficiency that stems from the harsh change of seasons in MN. People here have to be efficient getting things ready to move from fall to winter and winter to spring. This may be true of other areas, but it seems like the harsher the temperature change, the more efficient people get.
I have noticed that MN also seems to couple that tendency to efficiency with a strong drive to quality. If you are a city planner or civil engineer, this quality shows up in the crispness, cleanness and sharpness of our communities. If you are a product developer it shows up in the quality and precision of your designs, which are developed in an extremely efficient way.
I think this is part of the reason Minnesota has such a high standard of living. Groups like Medical Alley, Mayo Clinic, and Medical Devices Center help support people with this drive to quality.
I love visiting great places like Maine with its beautiful coasts, but also love coming back home to MN and feeling proud of our accomplishments here.
