We’re talking resilience, sustainability and agribusiness this week as Fieldays 2015 kicks off in Mystery Creek, Hamilton from 10 to 13 June.
_“Resilience” is a buzz word that farmers will be hearing a lot of at this year’s Fieldays. But what exactly is resilience? _We asked Resilient Farmer founder Doug Avery (2010 South Island Farmer of the Year and 2013 Landcorp Agricultural Communicator of the Year) for his point of view:
Resilience is your ability to ‘bounce forward’ from your troubles. Most people do little about building or thinking about resilience until a problem has arisen. Usually, it’s too late by then. When you’re caught in the current of an event is, however, a great time to think about next time. About how you can do better. This is why bad times are so important to create good times - they create vision and action.
The following five steps are a great place to start:
- Relationships
Long enduring relationship are second to nothing when things get challenging.
2. Knowledge
Knowing where you are in life. Self awareness. Continuous self improvement.
3. **Change
**
Accepting that change is good. Learn to love it.
4. Reality
Accepting that it is your hard won challenges that actually builds your ability. Focus on what you can control/influence.
5. **Goals
**
The progressive realisation of a worthy goal is like fertiliser to the brain.
To achieve these five points one must:
- **Be positive
**
Great relationships are build by positive people with vision and goals. - **Learn
**
Continuous self improvement is life’s greatest insurance policy against sadness. - **Be open to change
**
The world is always changing - so must you. - **Do it now
**
Now is a great word. Ask yourself what you can do now to make something happen. This is the cement for the next building block. This builds hope and confidence. - **Have a vision, and take action
**
Vision without action is just a dream. Action without vision is just activity. Vision and activity together can change your world.
See Doug speak in the BNZ Partners marquee at Fieldays 2015.