Most valuable real estate is between your ears – First Published in Stock Journal on 14/04/2025

If someone asks what is your most valuable asset, some may choose the block of land that is worth the most per acre.

Another person may say their health or something else entirely.

My answer would be the piece of real estate between your ears.

Your mind is the most valuable asset you have and being aware of what is driving your thoughts and, by extension, your behaviour is vital in achieving whatever you want in life.

This is easier said than done but is eminently doable with conscious practice.

Noticing what you are thinking is the first step.

Many people are blissfully unaware of the constant stream of thoughts that are coursing through their mind.

They might just feel a bit yuck and do not quite know why.

Conversely, there are people who seem to be constantly happy and positive.

Sometimes this can be them simply putting on a brave face, but if it is genuine, these are the ones you want to hang out with.

The good sporting teams are examples of groups of people buying into the vision of what the coach is trying to achieve.

There might be nay-sayers, but they are ultimately swept up by the positive vibe of the group, or they exit.

Farming is no different in many ways.

There are people you can associate with who lift the entire group up and others who can have the opposite effect.

Choose your cohort carefully.

It is said you are sum of the five people with whom you spend the most time.

If you have negativity in your family, you cannot really do much about this, except keep showing them another way to view life and, hopefully, some of this rubs off on them over time.

I know I am truly fortunate to have a close group of friends who fit firmly in the category of being a positive influence on me and others they associate with.

Besides running successful farming operations, they are all kind and decent people.

Getting the basics right is a good start.

Making a change to the way you think can have a profound effect in all areas of life, and this will show up on many levels.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming thinking about how to turn years of negative thinking around, to some it may seem insurmountable.

The good news is there are people who can help with this.

There are professionals that specialise in this area.

You can read on the topic or watch online videos, or even better, talk to someone you know who you think is on this path already.

Having a vision of what you want to achieve is another way to start changing your thought patterns.

It can be something small or a BHAG – big hairy audacious goal – this phrase is taken from Jim Collins’ seminal book Good to Great.