Month: February 2018

The mere fact of crafting a goal is a powerful step towards manifesting this outcome in our life.

The more clearly and precisely we can define the outcome we wish to produce, the more we are able to act and live in a conscious manner rather than a reactive manner.

Powerfully crafted goals are SMART:

S: Specific (be as clear and well defined as possible)
M: Measurable (did it happen or not)
A: Attainable (enough of a stretch to get you out of your comfort zone, but not so far as to be discouraging)
R: Relevant to your life’s intentions
T: Time Based (specific due date)

Think of fireworks. The energy shoots out in all directions and wizzes and bangs about. Now, if all that energy were channeled in a focused manner…. it it would be a rocket (to the moon)! Or, think of a light bulb, shining in all directions. When that light is focused, it becomes a laser!

Well crafted goals are that laser… focusing our attention and energy in a clear and precise manner.

So, what to you choose to be: fireworks or a rocket to the moon?

Let’s build farms and lives that we love; that nurture and sustain us, the environment, and the communities we seek to serve.

Now that’s what I would call a truly sustainable farm ….. environmental, human, social, financial, and spiritual sustainability  (ie does the farm nourish and sustain my soul)!

So, how do we put this into practice? To assist in the construction of truly sustainable farms: I propose the 3S framework: Soils, Sales, and Systems.

 

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, we’ll dive deeper into each of the legs of the 3S pyramid on our quest for the triple bottom line: People, Profits, and Planet.

Enjoy the ride!  😉

 

I love planning… I mean REALLY love it! I love envisioning new systems, I love crunching numbers and running through various scenarios, I love monitoring results and adjusting the plan as we go, I love getting feedback… I love everything about planning.

But I have come to understand that the idea of living in the present moment is not merely some hippy bullshit. In approximately year 5 of our farm (2015), I became aware of how much anxiety I was harbouring regarding the future. Specifically whether we were going to be able to buy a farm on the time frame I had in mind… I had planned it all out and we were on track as far as the plan was concerned…. but I realised that the more I focused on the future and whether or not we were going to be able to find a farm that suited our needs and be able to afford it, the more I was paralyzed by fear in my daily life.

It was actually getting in the way of me doing the things I needed to be doing!

So plan for the future but live today! Planning is essential, but getting emotionally investing in your plan is optional (and painful). There is a certain form of faith which is required so as to simultaneously be 100% committed and invested in your vision and at the very same time be 100% detached from the outcome and confident in the flow of life and our innate ability to adapt and thrive.

So lets hold these 2 seemingly paradoxical mantras at the same time:

“If you fail to plan… you plan to fail”

“One Day at a Time!”

 

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PS: I have recently totally redone the main section of the website. Take a minute to check it out.

www.organicfarmercoach.com

Time is fleeting and sooner or later each of us is going to leave this physical body through the process of death…. so let’s make every day count!

Here are 7 concepts and tools that I have found most useful in managing my time on a daily basis

1. Plan your day from a space of clarity and focus: As discussed in last week’s blog, it is critical to be calm and centred on who you are fundamentally and what your mission is before planning out the day.
2. Consider your various roles: This will flow naturally from the morning routine proposed last week. My roles are: father, husband, son, brother, farmer, life and business coach, Yogi/spiritual seeker, athlete, dancer, visionary leader. I need to be sure that each week I am nurturing each of those roles through ACTIONS here in physical reality.
3. Urgent vs. Important: Originally developed by Stephen Covey in “7 habits of highly effective people” (put it on your required reading list), this concept was a game changer for me
4. 80/20 principle (Pareto Principle): 80% of your outcome is coming from 20% of your effort. 80% of your profits are coming from 20% of your clients. 80% of your headaches are coming from 20% of your crops. Figure out what actions are going to produce the greater leverage today and make them your top priority.
5. 3/10/20 daily time management method
   1. 3 major actions: 1 MIA (Most Important Action) plus two priority actions: These are those high leverage actions that get you the greatest results in terms of your goals. These get do in the day NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS!
   2. 10 other “minor” actions
   3. Portion out your time in 20 minute bubbles…. 15-20 time bubbles per day. Major actions take more than 1 time bubble and minor actions can be accomplished in less than 20 minutes. Plan on using a number of time bubbles that is both realistic and a slight stretch at the same time. It is such a relief to realise that so often we are simply planning too much (or too little) stuff for our day.
6. O.P.A. is a quick little tool from Tony Robbins that I find quite useful.
   1. Outcome: What do I want to achieve with this day/week/year/decade.
   2. Purpose: Why!!! Having a clear why is essential is keeping us connected to our vision and to provide us with the energy and courage to power though those inevitable moments of trial and doubt.
   3. Action: The proof is in the pudding; so let’s dive into the pudding.
7. Measure your time: What we don’t measure, we can’t manage. Look back on your day and reflect on how much time you are spending in each of the 4 quadrants.

Most importantly, we must stay grounded in our dreams and visions though out the day. Remember that every little action is a building block for our vision.

When ever we are agitated or doubtful, let’s pause and bring ourselves back to that mental space of clarity, focus, ease, and grace that we had during our morning routine.

To infinity and beyond (one day at a time)!