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Easy to Do, Easy Not to Do…

above the line below the line decision-making kpis mindset performance metrics personal development profitability the slight edge top producers program workflow optimisation Apr 18, 2024

Your current results in life & business are the culmination of the simple disciplines and habits you have curated up to this point…  

…if you are not happy with your results then it’s time to drill into your habits, let me explain.  

The first time I read the book ‘The Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen’ it changed the way I viewed everything I did in life and in business. 

 It was a bit of a hard pill to swallow. The Slight Edge outlined that I was 100% responsible for the results I was achieving.  

 
But the good news was that it was clear that I could take a small step today to move towards the results I wanted. 
 

The image below simply illustrates the effect of the slight edge over time.  

 


 

The small choices or actions are easy to do (above the line) and easy not to do (below the line). 
 

At the time we make the decision, the consequence of not doing the thing is hardly noticeable. But over time the difference in our results, because of these choices, can be astounding. 
 

In life and business, we are faced with many small choices each day…several of them we make on autopilot, not really considering the compound effect of that decision over the longer term.  
 

When something compounds, it means that the results multiply over time rather than progress in a straight line. The 1% improvement tomorrow is slightly bigger than the 1% improvement today. 

 

An Example of the Slight Edge at Play 
 

Let’s look at an example, say you have $100 and you make a 1% improvement to that $100 each day for the next 12 months. 
 

The 1% improvement you make today will mean you have $101 tomorrow…. 
 

In 30 days you will have $134… 
 

In 6 months you will have $615… 
 

Fast forward to the end of the year (365 days later) and you have a whopping $3,778! 
 

Let’s look at that another way. Focussing on a 1% improvement each day in an area that matters in your life or business will mean your results are 37 times better at the end of the year than they were at the start of the year. 
 

This is what the Top 20% Producers know about their farm business. They have a set of habits & disciplines that accelerate them towards success. They focus on the 1% ers and know the impact of doing or not doing them in their business. 
 

Farm owners consistently tell us that the thing they love about attending the 2 day Top Producers Workshop is that they uncover a list of the 1% ers that will accelerate their success, PLUS they are given the education & tools they need to implement them into their business. 
 

What happens when the Slight Edge works in reverse? 
 

Say you start with the same $100 in the example above, but instead of making a 1% improvement each day your choices create a 1% decline each day. 
 

The 1% decline you make today will mean you have $99 tomorrow…. 
 

In 30 days you will have $74… 
 

In 6 months you will have $16… 
 

Fast forward to the end of the year (365 days later) and you have a dismal $2.55! 
 

The difference between making a 1% improvement each day vs a 1% slip each day is huge. At $2.55 the 1% decline each day is 1,481 times less at the end of the year than making the 1% improvement each day. 
 

The choice is yours - will you focus on the 1% improvement or allow the 1% decline? 
 

Here is a list of disciplines and habits that the Top 20% of farm business owners focus on. They are the 1% ers that make the 35-time improvement by the end of the year. 
 

  • Read at least one educational book per month. 
  • Invest in training and development to improve as a business owner - like the 2-Day Top Producers Workshop
  • Surround yourself with successful people. 
  • Set goals. 
  • Plan your year, quarter, week & each day. 
  • Identify a profitable business model. 
  • Forecast your business model & track your finances monthly - we have just released a training for only $9 that helps you do this called the Cash Flow Optimiser for Farm Owners
  • Know and calculate the key KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for the enterprises you farm. 
  • Have a morning routine that sets you up to win the day. 
  • Focus on the things you can control. 
  • Make fast decisions. 
  • Take 100% responsibility for the results you achieve in life & business. 
     

To summarise, our results in life and in business are not reliant on us making sweeping grandiose changes that don’t last.  
 

Lasting & meaningful change comes from consistent effort and the 1% improvements to our disciplines & habits that will move us towards our goals rather than take us away from them.  
 

They are easy to do and easy not to do. 

 

Why not implement a small step to improve your farm business today & register to attend the next 2-Day Top Producers Workshop?  
 

You can attend in person or virtually and we will invest 2 days together focussed on improving your farm business and identifying the 1% ers that help you become a Top Producer. 

Have a great week! 

Sam Johnsson, CEO - and The Farm Owners Academy Team 

PS - We are passionate about supporting farm owners to improve the profitability of their farm business so we have created a training that teaches you how to do this. It is called the Cash Flow Optimiser for Farm Owners. Instead of paying $197, it’s on sale for a short time for $9. Click here to access This is a great program to help you create a winning business model for your farm. 
 
PPS – Our two-day Top Producers Program is taking place on the Sunshine Coast in June this year. You can attend in person or register online. Click here to learn more.

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