Farmer on Fire Podcast

What could your life look like a year from now if you started to make more mistakes? What kind of lessons could you learn if you changed the way you looked at mistakes?The truth is, the more action you take, the more mistakes are going to happen. However, what could be possible if you considered those mistakes a gift?The person who is willing to step into the fire and face adversity is the one who will always be willing to do what is required and will win each time.

There are times in your operation when you feel so stuck and uncertain in your direction that you begin to live in doubt and fear on a daily basis.This is when you stop taking action. The moment you stop taking action is when doubt has taken over your life.There is a power and a force much greater than us that when we submit to it, there is an abundance that is undeniable that will transform your business, your relationships, and ultimately your production.

We often find ourselves playing this game where we think we are playing "all in" when the reality is you are half committed.It's easy to hold onto what is comfortable and for many farmers, they will NEVER make a change they know they need to because of fear.What could be possible if you took the jump that is right in front of you and saw it as God waiting for you to submit to what He is calling you?

There is no doubt working with family on our farming operation is one of the greatest challenges you face.From different opinions to different perspectives, everyone has their own idea of how the business should run which leads to frustration and separation of families.However, we are not addressing the root issue which is taking action to solve the relationship problem.There are going to be times when the best option for you is to collide with that person, speak the truth, and be willing to step away from the operation.Oftentimes, there is a gift waiting at the end of that conversation.

The majority of us have this belief system engrained in us that tells a story that "we can be trusted".You are surrounded by people who are wanting your Trust but have not yet taken the steps to truly establish a foundation that can be built on their "claims" to be Trusted.Because the reality is, Trust is an ACTION. It means doing the things you said you were going to do.If you want to truly have someone's Trust, you are going to have to PROVE that you are capable of being Trusted.

There are those who are wanting to play a big game and take the steps to make it happen, and then there are those who talk a big game but have nothing to show for it.Your words may sound big, but your results will display the truth at the end of the day.Stop hiding and start doing things you said you were going to do.

We recently completed our taxes on our farm and after a few discoveries, there were several errors that resulted in a $30k difference.There is a massive gap that farmers experience when it comes to the back end of their operations that is costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars being thrown out the window.The problem is that we have not been educated to the degree needed to provide pushback to your accountants and bankers.Not only is knowledge a weapon, but it is also the tool needed to fight the war our operations are up against.

I have heard this over and over again in the past few weeks and exposed an important problem faced by most family farms trying to transition from generation to generation.We find it extremely difficult to actually speak the truth about how each person is feeling in the operation and often times it leaves the operation in complete chaos.There is going to have to come a time when there is going to be a pull for someone to stand up and start taking action and leading the farm. That means colliding with family and colliding with those who you are closest with. If you do not do this, the cost of the operation long could literally mean losing it all.

Kids returning back right to the family farm right after college can result in a ton of hurt if there are no expectations or requirements in place.Unfortunately, many parents are having their kids come back to the farm because they need help but can not guarantee that there will be any ownership.There must be a conversation and a structure in place. This will save years of heartache and potentially losing everything you have built because the child has no respect for what is being handed to them and will end up making several poor decisions.

Most of us are walking around carrying our problems while putting on the "mask" and pretending that everything is perfect.We hide from the truth because it is painful. Looking into the mirror often causes some form of discomfort that we are not wanting to face.However, what could be possible if you had a place to share your pain with zero judgment? What kind of path could you start walking down if you lived every single day exposing your pain and had a road map that lead you to what you wanted?