Successful business people don’t just focus on what to do. More importantly they focus on what not to do and they stop doing it. For example my family has been in the cow/calf business for five generations (me being the fifth). I also started a registered Angus herd from scratch, and had that business for over ten years. Then one spring I sold a bunch of pairs and a big bunch of the registered herd and replaced them with stockers. The stockers made me more money, and fit perfectly with my back grounding/feeding enterprise. A couple years later I sold off more of the cow herd and ran more stockers. My point is just because something has been in your family’s core business for generations, doesn’t mean you should continue to do it.
Now I told you I started the feeding part of my operation from scratch. I also farm with my family. I get a lot of pressure to back off the cattle thing and focus more on farming. This does create a bit of friction. Successful people do not rely on the approval of others to pursue their calling. They have the audacity to take initiative despite social pressures, rather than because of them. They are emotionally committed to doing what they love, not by being loved by others. Most of us worry about being loved rather than being what we love.
Now you all know, or have heard, that you should do what you are passionate about. If you are not doing something you are passionate about you will half ass it. It will drain your energy and your attitude. I’ve been there done that and it sucks. I can also tell you that you will be the first one in line when the layoffs come.
So search your own heart, for out of it flows the issues of life. You will find something that you believe you were born to do. You will catch yourself saying “Man. I can’t believe I get paid to do this”. This is where your motivation will come from moving forward. You will begin to try and learn all you can about the business. You will start to seek out people to teach you new skills. You will no longer have a problem getting out of bed in the morning. You will eat, sleep and live your future. You will establish your own identity in the world.
Mr Cattlemaster 