GFP028: Pursuing Passions in Agriculture with the FoodCyclist
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"Every accomplishment starts with a decision to try." - Gail Devers
That statement is so simple, and so very true. I am 28 years old and I feel like I have already accomplished so much in my life. I have lived in New York City after growing up in Connecticut. I worked for the "King of All Media". Competed as a road bicycle racer in Manhattan. Married the woman of my dreams. Rode a bicycle across the United States (with dream-woman-wife-lady). Fed 1,000 people for a summer working on an organic farm. I started a successful farm of my own from scratch. And I now have a healthy beautiful daughter.
Those are some of the larger accomplishments. They all happened because I decided to do something with my life. Those who never get off the couch and "try" have no right to complain that life is boring.
I am not saying that you have to ride your bicycle 5,500 miles visiting family farms (though I highly recommend it). My dreams are not everyone's dreams, that is what makes them unique. I am saying that you should find something you are passionate about and pursue it.
Was it easy? Hell no. Some of those decisions were no-brainers, and some took me years to act on, but act I did.
Will you fail at some things? Absolutely, but not always.
Will people put you down, call you stupid, "poo poo" your dreams, and treat you like a fool? For sure.
Will there be times where you hate what you are doing and you will wish for your old life back? Haha, yeah, but those times don't happen too often.
Is it all worth it? With all of my heart and from a place of having done it myself, YES! Good or bad, it is worth every second.
You will never know if you do not try. It is both simple and horribly complex. When it comes down to it, your life is what you make it. If you wait until retirement you life will pass you by and you will be too old to do some of the things you wanted.
"But John, I don't have money. I have kids. I have a house. I have obligations. I can't because of this. I cannot because of that." There are a million reasons to say no to something. And at least one good reason to say yes, because YOU want to.
I know a family who bicycled around SouthEast Asia for six months. Husband, wife, and two little girls who were toddlers at the time. Kate and I afforded to bike across the states because we lived off peanut butter and jelly and illegally camped in the woods. If you really want to do something you will find a way to make it work.
I have been intensely fortunate in life. If you use my fortune (which was not financial fortune) as a comparison to your own life then that's just another reason you are creating to stay in your safe zone. I believe that good things happen to and for me because I work my a** off to bring good to the world. The fact that the world sees fit to give good back makes me work that much harder.
This farm podcast episode and my show notes here are purposefully passionate. I put my heart into everything I do. I hope that you come away from this with some of my fire and some of my energy to do good in your life, and for the lives of others.
In this farm podcast you will learn:
...that I have the most beautiful new daughter in the world!
Pursuing your passions is one way to a happy and fulfilling life
How to get past nay-sayers
The good, the bad, and the ugly of following your dreams
Even I am behind on paperwork as running a farm in July is getting the best of me
What to do when your chickens die
Why I made the decision to change farm locations
How to find others that share your dream(s)
Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:
Take aways:
What would you do if you had no other obligations in life?
What is keeping you from doing it? ...and how can you change that?
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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.