Regret is an emotion with deep tentacles. It sets a lump in your throat and pulls at the innards unquieted by reason, sleep or acquiescence. Missed opportunities, clever retorts, last goodbyes and unintended consequences often plaster the walls of our regret filled prisons. The realization that something can’t be taken back can haunt our days and eat at our nights. Thus is the story of corn in the bin.
No fewer than five times in two days did I share a conversation with farmers at Commodity Classic about current market prices, regret about not selling grain proudly stored and ending with, “when do you think things will go back up?” It’s not an easy answer or a quick fix in 2024. The look of solemn understanding and eager anxiety was painted on every face. Family members stood quietly behind, offering support as expressions of, “I missed it,” paint colors of desperation.
Farming is hard. Managing markets is even harder. Farmers should realize they aren’t ever alone in their regret or in their celebrations. Many others have and are going through the exact same emotional roller coaster.
The experts online say there are some things you can do to help manage your regret.
- Acknowledge what happened
- Believe in your ability to grow/learn from a perceived mistake
- Give it time
- Use it as motivation
- Reframe the narrative
- Forgive yourself
Nobody is perfect, and no business leader is perfect. It’s unrealistic to expect perfection on every outcome. Agriculture, however, is a business of doing. You have to plant in order to harvest. Decisions will be made each and every day. The key is to make sure enough of those decisions land outside the grip of regret that confidence sprouts instead of anxiety. If a bin full of unpriced corn is your biggest mistake, understand, you weren’t the first and definitely won’t be the last farmer worried about missing a pricing opportunity. Embrace the outcome and instead, set your sights on making 2024 your best year yet.
