Published:

01/19/2014 09:36pm

New Year, New Start

I hope you all had a great New Year's celebration. I like to think of the New Year as a fresh start, a clean slate if you will. It is time to put aside the past, and start looking towards a happy and prosperous 2014. Have you got your goals for 2014 figured out yet?

This week I want to help you to make sure you are on the right track to achieving your goals. The first thing is to put aside the past. We all make mistakes and dwelling on them does not help us in the future. If you spend all your time concentrating on the past you won't have time to work on the future. You have to make peace with things. I find it helps to acknowledge the mistake and what caused it, as we can learn from our mistakes. Then make the decision that it is done and you have learned something and that you will not bring it up again!

The next is to make time for your personal well being. It does not help to be a workaholic. I am guilty of this exact issue. You need to make time for yourself to relax and recuperate. I know we get busy with calving, work and the other million things needing done, it is a 24 hour job. But if we work ourselves too hard we are more likely to get sick or worse yet get hurt. We all know how "with it" we are after being up calving all night. Make sure to make time to relax and look after yourself. You are no good on the farm if you are injured or sick or exhausted.

My final tip is to be open. We all have goals and a plan to reach them but things do change. Always be open to tweaking your goals and plans if other opportunities come available. They are not written in stone, but they are a roadmap to where we want to be. But like a real map there are multiple routes to a destination. If one does not seem to be working then sit down and come up with an alternate. As long as you are happy with the outcome you have won!

I hope everyone out there has a very successful 2014. I see this being an amazing year for our industry and for all of you.

Jen Gutfriend,The progressive livestock producer's profitability coach, works with progressive livestock producers who struggle with low profitability and lack of time. She helps them reduce costs, increase revenue, all while having more time to do what they enjoy! Get her free video lesson, "Learn the one biggest change you can make on your farm to increase profitability" at www.livestockmanagementsolutions.com