When you have to Drop Back and Punt
The following is a post that I published over on our BlackberryCreekFarm.org page. This is an update on our Farm that relates to some initiatives that I launched earlier this year. Sometimes things change in our lives and direction. Hopefully my story will inspire you to honestly face direction changes in your own life.
- Brian
Photo Credit – Paul Dineen
Do you ever have those moments in life where you have to “Drop back and Punt”? Times when you have to change direction, stop moving forward with something, or admit you were wrong? Sometimes circumstance dictate it, other times, you realize that maybe you moved forward prematurely.
How does it make you feel? If you are like me, it doesn’t usually feel very good. However, from my experience, it is often necessary. Since I am one who is always pressing forward into new territory, I may be more prone than others to this experience. Even though I have been through this before, I still don’t like it. It is easy to feel embarrassed or feel like I failed. Admitting it may be the hardest part of all.
For me, this is one of those times where I am finding I need to drop back and punt. Early this spring I pushed forward with an expanded “Vision” and plan for our family farm to become a “Farm on a Mission.” I shared this through our website, video, Facebook page, emails, and conversations with friends and family. However, after a few months of working in this direction it has become clear to me that now is not the time for this vision to become reality.
There are a lot of reasons I reached this decision. One of the main reasons for this decision is that I realized some key things; I do not have the experience, time, support base, and financial resources to accomplish this vision in order for it to be successful and sustaining for my family. I feel that to continue forward at this time would put undue strain on me personally and our family, a strain that I do not believe is healthy or God honoring.
I have also come to the realization that I need to bring some additional focus to my life, family and career. I am by nature a visionary and creator and it is easy for me to get into many worthwhile and good things. However, over the last year God has been calling me to make changes to my life and learn to live within the healthy limits He has set for me.
Therefore, for that reason, and for the sake and health of myself and my family, I know that I need to bring a more solid focus to my career and activities. This focus will be critical to my continued health and direction for my family.
As I said above, over the last year, God has been calling me to examine my life. In the last few months I have prayed, journaled and shared with my friends and family what God has been speaking to my heart. During this time the goal has been to determine what is really important to me, how I want to live the next stage of my life and how God would want to see me walk that out.
During this process, I realized that my desire has always been to help people. That was the root of the vision for Blackberry Creek Farm and while it is a good vision, I now realize I need to focus these efforts in an area where I have greater experience than I do with farming at this time. In realizing these things, after continued discernment and prayer, I feel I am to direct my efforts to my Coaching and Consulting business for Small Business owners and individuals who are looking to make a career change. My desire remains the same as it did with the farm, in that I want to help people, especially those who find themselves in a place of needing to start over after loss or significant changes. My heart is to “help launch ordinary people into their destiny” by utilizing the talents and skills I have developed and obtained from being a business owner and leader over the years.
My hope is that sharing this will help someone who is at one of those crossroads of life and needs to make a change. Sometimes, the best decision is to “drop back and punt,” preparing to go on the offense at another time.
Thank you to all of the people who supported us in the vision of the farm. We appreciate your grace and understanding that sometimes life causes us to have to stop and change directions. We hope that we can continue to count you as friends as we journey this life together.
