Week in Review: Four Ideas That All Point to One Thing—Intentional Growth
Are the decisions I’m making today actually building the farm—and the life—I want tomorrow?
That question sat at the center of everything we shared this week. We rolled out a practical, no-fluff blog series designed to help you step into the new year with more clarity, better structure, and a stronger mindset. From setting goals that actually drive results to letting go of the “do-it-all-myself” mentality, each day highlighted one impactful book and translated its lessons into real-world applications for your operation. Whether you’re running solo or leading a team, these ideas are meant to help make 2026 your most strategic—and sustainable—year yet.
And beneath every topic, every story, and every takeaway, they shared common threads:
From Wishful Thinking to Clear Direction
Image from Real Ag Stock
We started the week by talking about goals—real ones, not the kind that sound good at the coffee shop and disappear when things get busy.
Measure What Matters challenged us to move past vague intentions and start defining what success actually looks like in our businesses. Clear objectives. Measurable outcomes. Fewer priorities—but the right ones.
Because farming already has enough uncertainty. Your goals shouldn’t be part of the chaos.
When everyone involved knows what matters most and how progress is measured, momentum follows. Confusion fades. Accountability improves. And suddenly, you’re not just reacting—you’re leading.
Strong Farms Are Built on Clear Communication
Image from Real Ag Stock
From there, we shifted from what you’re trying to accomplish to how you work with people.
Whether it’s family, hired help, or partners, people’s issues are often harder than agronomy or machinery. Avoided conversations don’t go away—they compound.
The One Minute Manager reminded us that clarity isn’t harsh—it’s respectful. Clear expectations, timely feedback, and honest conversations build trust, not tension.
Good people want to do good work. They just need to know what success looks like—and that someone notices when they get it right.
Strong teams don’t happen by accident. They’re built one conversation at a time.
Building a Farm Is Important—But So Is Building a Life
Image from Real Ag Stock
Midweek, we zoomed out even further.
Die With Zero forced a tough—but necessary—reflection: farming is a long game, but life isn’t unlimited.
Farmers are incredible at delaying gratification. We sacrifice early. We reinvest constantly. We tell ourselves, “Someday.”
But someday has a way of arriving when health, energy, or opportunity has already slipped away.
The goal isn’t reckless spending or abandoning responsibility. Its alignment—between time, money, and health.
Because land can be passed down.
Equipment can be replaced.
But time only moves in one direction.
The farm is part of the legacy—but so are the memories made along the way.
You Don’t Have to Do Everything Yourself
Image from Real Ag Stock
We closed the week with a mindset shift that might be the hardest for farmers to embrace.
Who Not How challenged the idea that independence means doing everything alone.
Self-reliance built agriculture. But unchecked, it can also limit growth, steal time, and accelerate burnout.
The most durable farms aren’t run by the person who knows how to do everything—they’re run by people who know who to involve at the right time.
Marketing.
Risk management.
Succession planning.
Infrastructure decisions.
You don’t lose control by surrounding yourself with the right people.
You gain capacity.
And maybe just as important, you gain peace of mind.
The Common Thread
These four ideas weren’t random.
They all point to the same truth:
Better farms are built by intentional decisions—not just harder work.
Clear goals.
Clear communication.
Clear priorities.
The right people in the right places.
That’s how farms become more resilient.
That’s how stress gets reduced... (after you’ve cast your cares upon Him)
That’s how you protect both your business and your family.
And that’s exactly where we come in.
We don’t believe farmers need more noise, more complexity, or more things to manage.
They need clarity.
They need structure.
They need trusted guidance when the stakes are high.
If any of this week’s ideas made you pause, reflect, or rethink how you’re running your operation—that’s not by accident.
It’s an invitation to do things more intentionally.
And if you’re ready to have that conversation to help market your grain, we’re here when you are.
Have a good weekend.
You’ve earned it.
Garret Brown
Founder | Market Advisor
Having grown up on a farm, Garret respects the wide range of skills needed to run a successful operation and recognizes farmers are often stretched thin trying to do it all. This understanding, along with his affinity for markets, fuels his drive to make tough marketing decisions simpler for farmers.
Leveraging his experience in grain origination and margin management, Garret analyzes technical and fundamental market information. With the assistance of CODAK’s algorithmic signaling platform, he puts together buy/sell recommendations while working with the CODAK team to create strategies that accommodate each farmer’s personal risk tolerance, on-farm storage capacity, and break-evens.