Five questions to focus on what matters
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As a farm business coach and a whole farm planning facilitator I spend a lot of time working with farmers to unravel the plans in their heads and put their plans down on paper. I work with coaching clients and workshop participants who have moved beyond the “what’s the point of planning, it never works” mindset to realising how planning helps them become more professional, organised and successful in their business.
Plans are a waste of time when we leave them on the shelf and don’t review them. Once a plan is completed that is where the planning begins. Planning is a process, a journey not a destination. Our plan is not a rigid roadmap to follow at all costs, but a guide, a process we use to become more intentional and proactive, rather than reactive. Detours can happen on any journey. Our plan works best when we adapt it as we go along.
The review phase is one part of the planning process I use and teach. As 2024 draws to a close I thought I would share these five questions that form the basis of my weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly review processes.
How do I feel?
This is a reminder that we are a human BEing not a human DOing. Pausing to notice how I am feeling about what I am doing can help me to notice the less tangible aspects of how I am showing up. These might be the positive signs I am in alignment with my vision and values, or they may be the warning signs of stress building up that indicates I need to change something.
What have I achieved?
This is a great question for those of us who like to cross the jobs off the list to see our progress. I don’t ask myself this question from a perspective of glorifying busy and celebrating doing more. I include this question from a perspective of making sure that I am appreciating that I have done ENOUGH. We all seem to have never ending job lists, the minute we cross one thing off the list we can be tempted to launch instantly into doing the next thing, without stopping to take a moment to notice and enjoy our progress. This keeps us on a treadmill of busy, never having done enough. This question gets me out of a scarcity mindset and into a more abundant point of view.
What worked well?
It’s easy to list off everything that is not working. I like to shift my focus to what worked well. What did I do that helped me feel well and accomplish what mattered. What systems, supports or practices are working for me? What we focus our energy and attention on grows, by asking this question I am choosing to grow more of what works.
What have I learned?
Not everything goes to plan. I notice what hasn’t worked as well as I would like, then I reframe it and shift my focus to see what I have learned. We only fail when we fail to learn.
What am I grateful for?
A regular gratitude practice helps us appreciate what we have, rather than focus on what we don’t have. Essential for maintaining a positive mindset, building our resilience, and focusing where it matters.
I encourage you to try these five reflection questions as the year draws to a close and consider incorporating these or developing your own simple review questions to include as part of your regular planning processes.
“Plans are nothing. Planning is everything.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower
If it’s time to unravel the plans in your head and implement a more organised and professional approach in your business, you can book a time for a chat to find out about ways we can work together on your farm business planning, whole farm planning or soil restoration planning to set you up for success.