Tips from Doug Avery

There’s change happening in agriculture at a rate we’ve not seen before, with vast opportunities for those able to take them. However, this may mean developing resilience as no opportunity is without its challenges.

Doug Avery, author of The Resilient Farmer, has overcome drought, earthquakes, mental health challenges and spiralling debt, and now runs one of the most productive farms in New Zealand.

Here are 5 great tips from Doug on how to build resilience. 

1. Get a mentor

Having quality people with good advice around you, makes you learn and grow. Imagine it like this – a flock of geese take turns for the hard work flying at the front; are organised in a V which gives them 71% greater flying reach; honk to each other for encouragement; and work together by collaborating. You need to employ and find clever people to help you, and don’t be scared to ask for help. Having the right people around you will help you fly higher.

2. Work smarter, not harder

Work smarter not harder. If you’re putting in long hours in your business, there’s a sign something is wrong. “Hard work will never win you anything, but smart work will.”

3. Keep learning

Strive to do things better and more efficiently. Doug challenges 10% of his business every year to see if he can do things better. He said: “The past matters for sure, but the future is where you need to be focused. Attend meetings, look at research and learn from others.”

4. Let go of the past and focus on what you can influence

Letting go of the past can be tough, but although the past teaches good lessons, it’s a horrible master. “Living in the ­shadow of the past can shackle your ­imagination and leave you ­feeling small. You need to learn to let go of it to truly be able to move on.” Focus on the things you can control or influence. “To get myself into the right headspace again, I had to learn to stop worrying about things that were out of my control,” Doug Avery says.

5. Commit, Courage, Confidence and Capability

In order to become resilient you need to commit, have courage, confidence, and capability. Doug encourages farmers to embrace failure, get out of their comfort zone, and have a positive mindset. You won’t get it right the first time, no one does, but thinking differently and trying new things can pay off. “When I started grazing lucerne I was called the ‘lucerne lunatic’ by my neighbours.” His pastures then returned 1/10th of what the return is now.

Are you resilient or resistant?

Resistant people:
• Feel threatened by others’ success
• Give up early
• Ignore negative feedback
• Don’t like to be challenged

Resilient people:
• Embrace challenge
• See effort as a path to mastery
• Grow
• Learn from criticism
• Find lessons from successful people
• Persist in the face of setbacks.