Episode Summary

As the year winds down and the holidays approach, I take a look back at 2025 — not to highlight wins, but to analyze the mistakes and learning opportunities that happened throughout the year.

From communication breakdowns and rushed decisions to equipment issues, agronomic timing, and family-life lessons, this episode is an honest reflection on what went wrong, what it cost, and what can be learned.

This episode isn't about beating yourself up over mistakes. It's about documenting lessons, slowing down, improving communication, and intentionally learning so you — and the next generation — don't repeat the same errors year after year.

Mistakes are inevitable. Repeating them is optional. The real cost isn't making the mistake — it's failing to learn from it.

In this week's episode on learning from your mistakes:

• Why documenting mistakes is just as important as celebrating wins
• The cost of poor or assumed communication — on the farm and at home
• Lessons learned from agronomic decisions, including fungicide timing and scouting
• The danger of rushing decisions and skipping simple checks
• How the lack of preparation affects productivity, stress, and family life
• Why reflecting now can prevent repeating mistakes next year

Resources & Links:

• To learn more about how I can help you achieve financial clarity and confidence through essential tools and systems, check out my free training here!

Connect with Garrett:

• Follow on Instagram - @garrettruskamp
• Follow on Facebook - Garrett Ruskamp
• Follow on TikTok - @garrettruskamp
• Learn more about Pioneer Farmer here!

Make sure to hit follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode!