Just last month, a family submitted an expression of interest for the last space in our High Performing Families Accelerator community. They were on an impressive trajectory — hungry, driven, kicking goals.
Their kids were in their mid-20s, and they could see the family dynamics shifting. They knew the next stage was coming and that the path they were on needed work.
They wanted to avoid the mistakes their parents made. They wanted the skills for the next stage and to be around other high-performing families. They wanted to set themselves up for a prosperous future.
Lovely people. Good operators. Hard workers. But in their mind, they had too much going on. They thought things would settle down, and then they’d take action. They believed they had time.
The truth? It was never going to get quieter. Driven families always have another project, another season, another fire to put out.
They had plenty of reasons not to start the journey with the next gen. But reasons are usually just excuses dressed up in work clothes.
Mum was ready. She didn’t want to repeat history. But Dad and the next gen — now in their mid-20s — were too busy being busy. Too busy to stop. Too busy to sharpen the saw. That’s how good families with good intentions turn into excuse factories.
Around the same time, another family came to me with their next gen also in their mid-20s. They had big goals — and were right in the middle of their busiest season. A million reasons why ‘right now’ wasn’t the ‘right time’. They’d expanded aggressively, and their entire year’s success was riding on the next three months of harvest.
But here’s the difference — every single one of them said:
“Hell yes, we’re in, Ben. We’ll make it happen.”
Same chaos. Same pressure. Same family focus.
The only difference? Prioritisation and attitude.
The sad fact is, the first family will eventually hit a wall when they realise hard work alone only takes you so far. The second family will accelerate, strengthen relationships, and grow their balance sheet at the same time.
And here’s the part that ruffles feathers.
People will look at that second family years down the track and say: “They’re just lucky.”
Luck? Rubbish.
They weren’t lucky. They prioritised the important when it was inconvenient. They raised the standard, focused on what mattered, and understood the power of prioritisation.
That’s not luck. That’s attitude.
And here’s the uncomfortable truth:
• Excuses feel like reasons, but they rob you of progress.
• Excuses keep you busy, but they stop you from building.
• Excuses give you a story to tell yourself, but they cost you opportunities.
• Excuses protect you in the short term, but they kill family harmony in the long term.
Meanwhile, the families who raise the standard and focus on what matters? They get clarity, alignment, and a future worth handing down.
In my 25 years of working with farming families, I can spot the ones who’ll be called “the lucky ones” a mile away.
It’s not luck. It’s that they prioritise what matters.
They carry a make-it-happen attitude.
They focus on family and financial strength.
And above all, they surround themselves with others just as driven and motivated.
Especially when the kids hit their mid-20s — that’s the fork in the road. Some families step up and get clarity. Others stall, hoping life will get quieter. It never does.
That’s why the difference between families who sustain success across generations and those who don’t often comes down to one thing: choices.
I only had space for one family to join our HPFA community.
The first family, I said no to. The second? That was an easy hell yes.
So here’s the challenge: stop and ask yourself — which one are you?
And if you don’t like the answer, maybe it’s time to start making better choices.
Until next time,
Cheers, Ben
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Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is general in nature and for education purposes only. It is not financial advice. No one should act on the information without appropriate specific advice for your particular circumstances. Ben Law is a former financial advisor but is no longer licensed and cannot and will not give you specific or personal advice in this article. The Financial Bloke Group Pty Ltd accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage occasioned by any person acting or refraining from action as a result of reliance on the information in this article.