Don’t Let a Down Market Get You Down

I am fortunate enough to know several very successful cattlemen who started out with nothing more than a cowboy hat and a dream.   They did what everyone in the status quo herd said could not be done.   I have always been greatly impressed and inspired by such people.   Some of these people did not even have an agricultural background.   In my opinion, that was more of a blessing than a curse.   They were not handicapped or hindered by status quo ways of thinking and traditions. There have always been more opportunities to advance in a down market than in an up market.   The fact that cattle prices are much lower than they were in the fall of 2014 will soon provide the opportunity to advance that many have been waiting for.   In a world full of pessimistic people who are very concerned about the future, it is extremely refreshing to visit with an optimistic person who is excited about the future.   One person’s problem will soon become another person’s opportunity. Getting started in the cattle business does not require that you own land.   If you do not already own land, do not purchase any until you can do so with your profits.   I did not own any land for the first ten years that I was in the cattle business.   Getting started in the cattle business doesn’t require that you own cattle either – at least not in the beginning.   The only thing required is knowing how to be profitable.   Be very careful who you listen to, though, when yo