Thru higher education I have learned that the business world is about managing sacred resources. For most of my life I have struggled with wants verses needs. Things you want may not be the same as things you need.
It comes down to those who have the most money are the ones who get the sacred resources. Society does not delegate sacred resources by need. The poor people wait in long cheap lines and the wealthy people do not wait in lines, but pay considerably more.
Want is a powerful motivator. I wanted a college education when I was younger, however, my other wants and need to make a living won out.
I was forced to quit ranching in South Texas in 2011 when Big Oil moved in. Because of the drought, water was already a big issue. When the oil companies moved in they bought up all of the water and land.
It takes 10 acres to raise a cow. It takes 2 cows to buy an acre. Thus it takes 20 cows to buy 10 acres to support 1 cow. In ranching it is necessary to have lease country. It does not matter how much land you own, you need more. Land is very much a sacred resource.
In South Texas the oil companies leased up all of the private land in the counties where I ranched for $10,000 an acre. A rancher paying $10 an acre cannot compete with that.
All of my life I have wanted to be, and was a rancher. Now I am changing careers and I need a college degree. But not only do I need a college degree, I also want one.
Brett Bickham
Clifton, TX