The Secret To Persistence
What is your staying power?
Good morning. This is the first article in a series devoted to actionable steps that can help farmers increase the efficiency and profitability of their farms. These will all be steps or actions that I have done multiple times with my own farms, and I have personally seen the results. My goal is to share some of the things that I have done in the past to make your future a bit easier
If you are struggling with sales or marketing at your farm, or you want to try something new to see if there are improvements to be had —- This is going to be for you. Take a few minutes to read though this. Then grab a pencil and paper, find a quiet place to sit for 15-20 minutes and do the steps that I outline in the coming articles. I promise, if you do the work - you will see the results.
Finally, engage with me in the comments and let me know if you need more details, explanation, encouragement, or anything. I am here to help. But, I can’t read minds - you need to let me know if there is something else that I can do to help.
For now, let’s get to work and plant some seeds!
Did you know that most businesses don’t close due to a bad product?
This is just as true for farms as it is for anything else. Farmers can grow some great crops.
They fail because they can't SELL what they grow.
The difference between success and failure isn't talent. IT IS PERSISTENCE.
Here is an essential tool to make sure you're not just another statistic. The most important strategy to succeed as a farmer is both profound and straightforward:
DON'T QUIT.
I know what you are thinking, that sounds overly simplistic, but consider this reality:
95 out of 100 people who begin farming will quit before finding success.
Let that sink in — 95% of the people who start ANYTHING will quit.
There are two primary lessons to take from this:
1. It's hard.
Don't let this be an excuse to NOT start. Instead, you need to be even more clear-eyed about what it is that you're beginning. MAKE A PLAN!
2. You're not competing with the crowd. You're competing with the survivors.
You don't need to be perfect. You need to be PERSISTENT. You need to be SCRAPPY. You just need to do the next right action, and survive! Each day you persist, you're already outperforming the vast majority of would-be farmers, and you earn the right to fight another day.
The Farmer's Path: Rooted in Reality
Always remember, this is going to be an incredibly bumpy-ass road.
Every day is going to be a fight. A tooth-and-nails type struggle.
You are going to want to quit when pests destroy your best crop.
You are going to be reduced to tears when the weather ruins your careful plans.
You are going to want to crawl into a hole and cry when markets (or Chefs) reject your crops.
Your mantra must become — DON’T QUIT!
Now for the strength to follow that mantra. Do you want to know how I have made it through three farms and never given up? The reason that I've persisted through failed harvests, broken equipment, and market disappointments?
I have a WHY.
What's Your Why?
An entrepreneur is only as strong as their philosophy. And as Farmers, we are absolutely entrepreneurs.
Viktor Frankl wrote in Man’s Search For Meaning, “Those who have a 'why' to live, can bear with almost any 'how’.”
I think about this often.
To be successful, you need an internal guide. That compass or drive that moves you forward. This is the 'engine' that propels your tractor forward when the soil is heavy.
But your 'why'… This is your fuel.
This is not just what keeps you energized and focused.
Your 'why' isn't just fuel—it's the deep taproot that keeps you anchored when storms come.
This is what allows you to cover that gap between where you are today—perhaps struggling with unpredictable weather and tight margins—and where you want to be in the future: running a thriving, profitable farm that reflects your deepest values.
Your WHY is how you focus on getting 1% better every day. If you can just do that, the simple power of compounding results will see you achieve your goals, just as surely as daily care transforms seedlings into abundant harvests.
The Daily Practice That Changes Everything
Every morning I wake up and remind myself of my Why.
I take 15 minutes in my morning routine, before I even step outside to check on crops or livestock, and I write in my journal.
I think about my own 'why' and how I am working to bring it into the world around me. I evaluate how well I achieved that goal the day before, and how I can revise what I am doing to be more effective today.
Why Do I Reflect Every Day?
What is the value of doing this?
What I want more than anything is to help small farmers be more effective in their businesses. I want to see thriving, resilient food systems develop in local communities. I want to spend my days doing everything that I can to make the world just a little bit better tomorrow than it is today.
Does that sound idealistic? Or a little bit naive?
Yeah, probably. But that is still my vision, and my reason for doing the things that I do.
The most sustainable thing on your farm should be YOU.
The takeaway lesson? If you are willing to work hard, you can achieve what you want.
It won't be easy, and it won't be quick. But, there is always the chance if you don't quit.
Your Turn: Unearth Your Why
COMMIT TO THIS RIGHT NOW: Before the sun sets today, take 30 minutes for this essential exercise that 99% of farmers never do.
Grab your notebook, walk to the most inspiring spot on your property, and ask yourself:
What do you want from your farm that goes beyond money?
What is your dream life, and how does your farm fit into that vision?
Why are you building this farm instead of doing something easier?
Who are the people you want to feed or serve—and why do you care about them?
What would make all the struggle worthwhile? (Imagine your farm wildly successful in 20 years)
What does true success look like to you? (Think beyond yield and profit)
This might fill several pages. That is not just acceptable—it's necessary. If you don't have at least a couple of pages, challenge yourself to dig deeper. What would get you out of bed on the coldest morning of spring planting?
Now, take a moment to acknowledge yourself—You have just completed more meaningful thinking than 99% of people who call themselves farmers.
Time to Focus: Crafting Your Own WHY
Now you need to create your personal why. Many 'business coaches' would call this your mission statement. I think of it as more personal and individual. This isn't about a business. This is about YOU.
The goal is to take the pages you previously wrote and distill all of that down into a few powerful sentences. As you do this, remember a key point - write in the present tense, as if what you are writing is already true.
Here is mine as an example:
I am a great farmer. I care deeply about local foods, sustainability, community, and helping others to find their strengths and successes. My life is about building, exploring, and serving. My drive is to help everyone involved with food to think innovatively, communicate effectively, and produce healthy, nutrient-dense, and flavorful foods.
Your Why Becomes Your Shield
When your hands are cracked from cold, your back aching from harvest, and your bank account dwindling from unexpected expenses—that's when your 'why' becomes your shield against giving up.
A farmer without a 'why' is just one bad season away from quitting.
When you're done crafting your statement, don't just file it away. Print out a copy, then:
Stick it on the inside cover of your daily journal
Post it somewhere you'll see it every morning (maybe by the coffee pot)
Save it as your phone's lock screen
Read it aloud before you start each day
Your crops need water. Your business needs sales. Your spirit needs purpose.
When others quit, you persist.
When they falter, you focus.
Your 'why' is what makes the difference.