Healing, Performance, and the Farmer’s Mindset
One of the most common questions I get from clients is, “When will I feel better?” Whether it’s diminished pain or full participation in a favorite activity without restriction, the desire for a clear timeline is completely understandable.
And yet, it’s a question I find difficult to answer—because more often than not, there is no clear answer. What people want (and what I wish I could give them) is a simple equation. Something concrete. Predictable. Quantifiable.
But healing doesn’t always work like that.
Instead, I’ve come to believe the process is more like farming. When someone asks me when they’ll feel better, I now think of a farmer being asked, “How’s your crop going to be this year?”
The truth is, even the most experienced farmer doesn’t know.
Crop yields are influenced by countless variables beyond their control: rainfall, hail, wind, drought, heat waves, floods, pests, diseases, and even how the land was cared for in years past. Sure, they can reference forecasts, historical data, and best practices. But none of that guarantees a specific outcome this season.
Still, the farmer doesn’t stop farming.
They do the work—prepping the soil, planting the seeds, removing the rocks, applying fertilizer, protecting the field from pests, and purchasing crop insurance just in case disaster strikes. They follow the principles that give them the best chance of success, knowing full well that this year’s harvest may still fall short of expectations.
And yet, over time, the odds are in their favor. Not because they can control every variable, but because consistent adherence to these foundational practices tends to produce good results over the long haul.
Getting out of pain—and living the life you want—is no different.
We can’t always predict the timeline. There are too many factors beyond your control: environmental stressors, unpredictable physical demands on your body (like house chores or unexpected projects), and tissue healing timelines that follow biological rules more than personal schedules. But we do know the principles that shift the odds in your favor: intentional movement, appropriate loading, consistency, and a willingness to adjust as needed—alongside supportive habits like improving sleep, hydrating well, eating nutritious foods, and practicing mindfulness to manage stress.
Sometimes the harvest comes quickly. Other times it takes longer than expected. But the practices remain the same.
So when you find yourself obsessing over the outcome—asking “When will this finally be over?”—try shifting your mindset.
Picture yourself as a farmer.
Your job isn’t to control every variable. Your job is to show up, tend to the field, plant the seeds, and trust that if you keep doing the right things, the harvest will come.
