When I hang up my boots eventually I will head back into farming.
So, recently I have been spending some time on my farm and working on my own skills – working out what and how I want to learn.
On the rugby field I like just getting in there and doing it. We walk through moves to get a clear picture then just get into it. But on the farm, in everyday life, it is different. It is about actually having someone show me and then me trying myself.
But I have had to be prepared to make a few mistakes, like fencing for example. I have been trying to fix a few fences and have definitely made a few mistakes and created a few more issues but without having a go I am never going to learn.
One of main things I have learned from sport is that even the toughest times are a chance for learning. That is something I’ll be taking into farming to help me deal with pressure. That old saying, which I can still picture my father reciting, is so true – control the controllable.
Obviously, you cannot control the weather, the rain, whether there is too much rain or not enough rain. It is the same with the payout, whether it is a dairy payout or the land price, beef price, wool price, whatever. In farming and in life you have got to learn to roll with the punches to a certain extent.
It is all about keeping perspective and looking at what you can have an influence on and how can you do it positively. There is nothing worse than always seeing the negatives in something. The easiest way is to turn the situation around and ask yourself what the positive is.
What is the opportunity here to change or learn something? Whether it is changing a fenceline or a new water system or how you operate as a team with staff. Having the right mindset and being prepared to learn is a real asset when you are feeling under the pump.
There are so many chances to learn and grow in farming and I know this is what I am really looking forward to. I know I am going to enter the industry at the bottom of the chain and have to work my way to the top. Hopefully, I have got a bit of time to do that but that is one thing that excites me about farming – there is always a chance to get better.
Learning also gives us a fresh perspective on things and often reminds of us why we love what we are doing in the first place. For example, I recently decided to try something different and did a rugby coaching course. It means in future I’ll be able to referee things like kids’ sport.
It was interesting because it definitely challenged me. As a senior player I am used to looking at things from a player’s perspective. This has given me a better understanding of what the coaches are trying to do. I think the lessons are relevant for anyone working with a team.
It makes you realise that when you want to pass on skills to others you really need to work out how people prefer to learn and receive information and that everyone is different. Some people prefer learning by discovery – you have just got to let them go and let them make the mistakes. Other people want you to show them and tell them. Some people need regular encouragement, others more direct feedback without the small talk.
Rather than guessing, it is worth asking people how they want to receive feedback. I have learned from sport that if you ask, people will give you an honest answer.
So doing that coaching course has been interesting and opened a few different doors for me. From a personal perspective I have also enjoyed just doing something a little bit different compared to playing and training.
Learning new things is a chance to change things up.
