by peter hughes
I have a certificate in my office which changed my life. You see, I trained as an entomologist, but soon realised I was a square peg in a round hole. Insects are interesting creatures, but it was management and business that really fired me up. The certificate I refer to confirms my attendance at a Farmer’s Weekly business management course, and is signed by the legendary Symond Fiske.
This was my first glimpse into the world of business management, and while I don’t remember much about the course, I do remember Fiske making us commit our personal goals to paper. I’d never done this before and I struggled. I probably wrote something about being a successful farmer, improving my squash and learning to play golf. What I wrote wasn’t important, but the fact that for the first time in my life I had to commit these goals to paper was. It really made me think.
As I moved from entomology to business, I attended several other courses on business and management skills. We usually had to write down our objectives; the business ones were relatively easy, but the personal ones were a battle. This changed one day when my wife and I were at a session where we had to write an “affirmation”. This is a description of the life we would like to be living in five years’ time. I have remembered it almost word for word. Here’s what I wrote:
“I will have a warm, loving relationship with my wife and children, each of whom will be happy and settled in their careers. I will be running a small successful family business, which will provide a stimulating and stress-free environment. I will have successfully completed my first Comrades marathon, and will be a regular golfer with a handicap in the lower teens.”
I won’t say how well I’ve done … definitely not in the golf or the Comrades. But my affirmation has saved me weeks, months and possibly even years of time and energy, and it will do the same for you.
Lack of clarity about our personal and business goals saps energy and time. Make up your mind, and then shift your goals on to paper. Now you can focus all your time and energy on moving towards where you want to be. This is a crucial step in time management. Sure, you must use a well-prioritised “to do” list, but remember, it’s more important to “do the right things” than to “do things right”. A brief, well-written affirmation will release you to get on with the job and make profits. Try it.
Contact agribusiness consultant Peter Hughes on (013) 745 7303 or e-mail [email protected]. |fw
