We spend a lot of time talking about working on the business, about planning and marketing. The goal is to get people to look at options on paper that make the most financial sense. Maybe selling 6-weight calves in October isn’t the best financial plan? Maybe selling 5-weights in November has a much better return? We will never know if we don’t pencil it out.
For ranchers, planning is like pulling teeth! Thus, the emphasis on the necessity for it. Without data we can’t make good financial decisions, but what if the “penciled-out” plan isn’t the best choice?
Farnam Street addressed this in one of their blogs:
The math in chalkboard decisions is irrefutable. And yet, the best decisions are often based on positioning yourself for things you can’t see. Our ability to predict the future is never as certain in the real world as in the classroom. No matter how compelling the math, the best chalkboard decision might not be the best overall move.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan! We need to know what our options are. As Eisenhower said, “Before a battle, planning is everything. Once the fighting has begun, it is worthless.” This implies that planning is imperative, but so is being flexible when the situation changes.
In the real world… enacting a plan isn’t as straightforward as it appears on paper. The path is often bumpy and rocky with some deviations and adjustments. What may be more important than rigidly following the plan we set forth is setting ourselves up to take advantage of whatever situation presents itself. We need to position ourselves so that we are able to make the most of our future, whatever that may be.