PropelMapper

From Knowing to Doing

Agricultural Advisor Training

8

Building the Habit

Making trust-building sustainable through systems, not willpower

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Introduction

Welcome to Session 8—the final session.

Over the past seven weeks, you've learned:

  • Session 1: Why knowledge alone doesn't change behavior (the trust paradox)
  • Session 2: How farmers calculate trust (thin vs. thick, catastrophic risk)
  • Session 3: The three pillars of trust (competence, integrity, benevolence)
  • Session 4: The four-phase pattern of farm visits (especially Phase 4: Reinforce)
  • Session 5: Why writing matters (and why it doesn't happen)
  • Session 6: How to capture what matters (voice capture)
  • Session 7: How to show up prepared (audio prep notes)

You have the knowledge. You've practiced the skills. You've seen what works.

Now the question: How do you make this permanent?

This session is about building habits that last—not through heroic effort, but through smart systems.

By the end of this session, you'll have:

  • A clear understanding of why willpower fails
  • Your minimum viable workflow designed
  • A commitment to sustainable practice
  • Accountability systems in place

Let's build something that lasts.

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Why Willpower Fails

The Intention-Action Gap (Again)

Remember Session 1? The knowledge paradox applies to you too.

You KNOW you should:

  • Capture observations after visits
  • Send written follow-up
  • Prep before visits
  • Build trust systematically

But knowing ≠ doing.

Most advisors who take this course will:

  • Be inspired for 2 weeks
  • Try hard to implement
  • Gradually slip back to old patterns
  • Feel guilty about it
  • Blame themselves for "not trying hard enough"

But here's the truth: It's not a willpower problem. It's a systems problem.

Why Willpower Fails

Willpower is a finite resource:

  • You have the most in the morning
  • It depletes throughout the day
  • By visit #5, you're running on fumes
  • By end of week, you're exhausted

Advisory work depletes willpower:

  • Constant decisions
  • Emotional labor
  • Competing priorities
  • Urgent issues
  • Physical fatigue

Result: By the time you finish a visit, you have little willpower left for documentation, follow-up, or preparation.

Relying on willpower guarantees failure.

The Pattern You've Seen Before

Think about past professional development:

Week 1: "I'm going to implement everything I learned!" Week 2: "This is going well, mostly" Week 3: "I'm slipping a bit, but I'll get back on track" Week 4: "Okay, I'm back to my old habits" Week 8: "Why can't I stick with anything?"

This isn't a character flaw. This is what happens when you rely on willpower instead of systems.

What Actually Changes Behavior

Research on behavior change is clear:

Doesn't work:

  • Willpower
  • Trying harder
  • Guilt
  • Motivation alone

Does work:

  • Systems that make the right thing easy
  • Environmental design
  • Automatic triggers
  • Accountability
  • Reducing friction

The goal: Make trust-building behaviors automatic, not aspirational.

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Systems Beat Intentions

What Is a System?

A system is a set of processes and tools that make the right behavior:

  • Easier than the alternative
  • Automatic (triggered, not chosen)
  • Sustainable (doesn't require willpower)
  • Visible (tracked and measured)

Good intentions are not a system.

Examples of Systems vs. Intentions

Intention: "I'll document every visit"

  • Relies on memory and willpower
  • No trigger, no process
  • Easy to skip
  • Invisible (no one knows you didn't do it)

System: "After every visit, before starting the truck, I voice capture for 2 minutes"

  • Triggered by ending the visit
  • Process is clear
  • Harder to skip (you're sitting there anyway)
  • Can be tracked

Intention: "I'll show up prepared"

  • Vague
  • Requires remembering to prep
  • Easy to skip

System: "As I drive to each farm, PropelMapper auto-plays a 60-second audio prep"

  • Automatic (no decision required)
  • Happens while driving (no extra time)
  • Can't easily skip

See the difference? Systems win.

The Components of Effective Systems

1. Trigger (When does it happen?)

  • Time-based: "Every morning at 8am"
  • Event-based: "After every visit"
  • Location-based: "When I arrive at the farm"

2. Process (What exactly do I do?)

  • Specific steps
  • Clear and simple
  • Takes less than 5 minutes

3. Tools (What makes it easy?)

  • Apps, templates, checklists
  • Voice capture, audio prep
  • CRM systems, reminders

4. Accountability (How do I track it?)

  • Measurement (documentation rate)
  • Visibility (shared with team or manager)
  • Review (weekly check-ins)

Designing Your System

The system that works for you will depend on:

  • Your current workflow
  • Your tools (PropelMapper? CRM? Notes app?)
  • Your constraints (time, volume, organization)

But every effective system includes these elements:

  1. Capture (after visit)
  2. Reinforce (written follow-up)
  3. Prep (before next visit)

Let's design yours.

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Your Minimum Viable Workflow

What "Minimum Viable" Means

Your workflow needs to be:

  • Sustainable: You can do it every week for a year
  • Simple: Few steps, low friction
  • Effective: Actually builds trust

Not:

  • Perfect
  • Complex
  • Exhaustive

The best system is the one you'll actually use.

Three Workflow Options

Choose the one that fits your reality:

OPTION 1: The PropelMapper Workflow (Recommended)

After Every Visit:

  1. Before leaving property: Voice capture (2-3 min)
  2. PropelMapper transcribes automatically

That Evening (or next morning): 3. Review transcription (1 min) 4. Send follow-up to farmer (1 click) 5. Total: 3-5 minutes per visit

Before Next Visit: 6. Audio prep plays automatically while driving (60 sec) 7. Walk onto farm fully briefed

Why it works:

  • Voice is 3x faster than typing
  • Audio prep is automatic
  • Minimal friction

OPTION 2: The Voice Memo Workflow

After Every Visit:

  1. Before leaving property: Record voice memo (2-3 min)
  2. Save to farmer-specific folder

That Evening: 3. Listen to voice memo 4. Type brief email summary (5 min) 5. Send to farmer 6. Total: 7-10 minutes per visit

Before Next Visit: 7. Listen to last voice memo while driving (2-3 min) 8. Walk onto farm prepared

Why it works:

  • Uses tools you already have (phone)
  • Voice capture is still faster than typing from memory
  • Audio playback for prep

OPTION 3: The Written Workflow

After Every Visit:

  1. Before leaving property: Write bullet points (3-5 min)
  2. Save to farmer file (notes app, CRM, etc.)

That Evening: 3. Expand bullets into brief email (5-7 min) 4. Send to farmer 5. Total: 8-12 minutes per visit

Before Next Visit: 6. Read notes from last visit (2-3 min) 7. Walk onto farm prepared

Why it might work:

  • Some people prefer writing
  • Can work without new tools
  • Familiar process

Warning: This is hardest to sustain because writing is slowest.

Choose Your Workflow

Which workflow will you commit to for the next 2 weeks?

Option 1 (PropelMapper): ___ Option 2 (Voice Memo): ___ Option 3 (Written): ___

Be honest: Which one will you actually do consistently, not which one sounds best?

Design Your Triggers

For your chosen workflow, define clear triggers:

Capture Trigger: "After every visit, before [specific action], I will [capture method]"

Example: "After every visit, before starting my truck, I will voice capture for 2 minutes"

Reinforce Trigger: "Every [time], I will [review and send follow-up]"

Example: "Every evening at 6pm, I will review captures and send follow-ups"

Prep Trigger: "Before every visit, while [activity], I will [prep method]"

Example: "Before every visit, while driving, I will listen to audio prep"

Write yours:

Capture trigger: ______________________________

Reinforce trigger: ______________________________

Prep trigger: ______________________________

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The Compound Effect

Small Improvements × Many Visits = Transformed Relationships

Here's the math:

Current state (for many advisors):

  • 20 visits per month
  • 10-20% documentation rate
  • 2-4 visits get written follow-up
  • 90% of relationship-building potential is lost

After implementing your workflow:

  • 20 visits per month
  • 80% documentation rate
  • 16 visits get capture, follow-up, and prep
  • 4x more trust-building opportunities

Over 6 months:

  • 120 visits total
  • 96 fully documented (vs. 12-24 before)
  • 4-8x more farmers moving from thin trust to thick trust

Over 1 year:

  • 240 visits total
  • 192 fully documented (vs. 24-48 before)
  • Transformed relationships with 20-30 key farmers

The Compounding Timeline

Week 1-2: Awkward

  • Voice capture feels weird
  • You forget sometimes
  • It takes longer than you'd like

Week 3-4: Getting Easier

  • Voice capture feels more natural
  • You remember most of the time
  • You're seeing some farmer response

Week 5-8: Becoming Habit

  • Voice capture is automatic
  • You feel weird when you DON'T do it
  • Farmers are noticing preparation
  • Trust is deepening

Month 3-6: Transformed

  • Documentation is just "what you do"
  • Farmers call YOU when problems arise
  • Relationships are deeper
  • Implementation rates are higher
  • You're not starting fresh every visit

Month 6-12: Mastery

  • System runs on autopilot
  • Trust is the norm, not the exception
  • You're the advisor farmers text photos to
  • You've moved from "one of many" to "trusted partner"

The Alternative

If you don't build the system:

  • Nothing changes
  • You're still frustrated in 6 months
  • Farmers still don't implement
  • You're still wondering why advice doesn't stick
  • Another year of thin trust relationships

The only way out is through. The only way through is systems.

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Final Reflection: Your Commitment

Take 15 minutes for this final reflection. This is where theory becomes commitment.

**1. Looking Back**

Think about the farmers you identified in Session 1—the ones who didn't act on your advice.

  • What's different now in how you understand those situations?
  • What was really in the way (beyond "they didn't understand")?
  • If you could go back, what would you do differently?

2. Your Growth

Over these 8 sessions, what shifted for you?

  • What was your biggest insight?
  • What behavior have you already started changing?
  • What's been harder than you expected?
  • What's been easier?

3. Your System

Looking at your minimum viable workflow:

  • Do you believe you can sustain it?
  • What's the biggest barrier you foresee?
  • What support do you need?
  • What accountability would help?

4. Your Commitment

What are you committing to for the next 2 weeks?

Be specific:

  • I will [workflow choice] for [number] visits
  • I will track [metric]
  • I will review progress on [date]

5. The Farmers Who Will Benefit

Think of 3-5 specific farmers whose relationships will deepen because of this commitment:

  • Farmer 1: ___________________________
  • Farmer 2: ___________________________
  • Farmer 3: ___________________________
  • Farmer 4: ___________________________
  • Farmer 5: ___________________________

What will change for them when you show up consistently prepared, follow through reliably, and demonstrate care?

6. Your "Why"

When this gets hard (and it will), what will keep you going?

  • Why does building trust matter to you?
  • What difference will it make?
  • What's at stake if you don't change?

Write your "why" here:

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Course Close: Where You Go From Here

What You've Learned

Over 8 sessions, you've learned:

The Problem:

  • Knowledge alone doesn't change behavior—trust does
  • Farmers make decisions based on who they trust, not just what they know
  • Trust is built through specific, learnable behaviors

The Framework:

  • Three Pillars: Competence, Integrity, Benevolence
  • Four Phases: Listen, Speak, Leave, Reinforce
  • Thin trust vs. thick trust progression

The Solution:

  • Voice capture makes documentation 3x faster
  • Audio prep makes preparation automatic
  • Systems beat willpower every time

The Tools:

  • PropelMapper Voice Capture (Session 6)
  • PropelMapper Audio Prep Notes (Session 7)
  • Your minimum viable workflow (Session 8)

What Happens Next

The Next 2 Weeks:

This is critical. Research shows: If you implement consistently for 2 weeks, you'll likely continue. If you don't, you won't.

Your 2-week commitment:

  1. Practice your chosen workflow on every visit (or 80%+)
  2. Track your documentation rate
  3. Notice farmer response
  4. Adjust what's not working

Download the 2-Week Accountability Tracker: [Download Tracker →]

After 2 Weeks:

Review your progress:

  • Did you do it?
  • What worked?
  • What needs adjustment?
  • Are farmers responding differently?

Then commit to 2 more weeks. By week 4, it's habit.

Signs You're Succeeding

You'll know the system is working when:

For you:

  • Documentation feels automatic, not effortful
  • You feel prepared walking onto farms
  • You remember commitments without strain
  • You're seeing patterns across farms

For farmers:

  • They share more information
  • They ask for your opinion proactively
  • They implement your recommendations more
  • They call when problems arise
  • They refer other farmers to you

For relationships:

  • You're moving from thin trust to thick trust
  • Conversations go deeper
  • You're no longer "one of many"
  • You're a trusted partner

The Bigger Picture

This course isn't really about documentation or voice capture or audio prep.

It's about this:

Farmers face enormous risk. They're making high-stakes decisions with their livelihoods on the line. They need advisors they can trust—deeply, completely.

You have the knowledge. You always did.

Now you have the systems to build the trust that turns knowledge into action.

That's the work that matters.

Final Thoughts

Seven weeks ago, you started this course knowing that farmers don't always act on good advice. You probably felt frustrated—"Why don't they just do what I recommend?"

Now you know: It was never about the quality of your advice. It was about the strength of your trust.

And trust isn't mysterious. It's built through:

  • Listening before speaking
  • Following through consistently
  • Showing up prepared
  • Demonstrating care over time

Small behaviors. Repeated consistently. Compounding into unshakeable relationships.

You have everything you need.

Now go build trust.

Resources for Continued Learning

PropelMapper Tools:

  • Voice Capture Trial: [Start Trial →]
  • Audio Prep Notes Trial: [Start Trial →]
  • Documentation: [propelmapper.com/docs]

Downloadable Resources:

  • Minimum Viable Workflow Template
  • 2-Week Accountability Tracker
  • Trust Pillar Self-Assessment
  • Voice Capture Quick Start Guide

Community:

  • Join the PropelMapper community to share experiences and learn from other advisors
  • [propelmapper.com/community]

A Final Exercise: Letter to Your Future Self

Write a brief letter to yourself to read in 3 months:

Dear [Your Name],

Three months ago, I completed the "From Knowing to Doing" course. I committed to:

[Your specific commitment]

The farmers I wanted to build deeper trust with were:

[Names]

If I've been consistent with my system, here's what I expect has changed:

[Your predictions]

If I haven't been consistent, here's what I want to remember:

[Your "why"]

The most important thing I learned was:

[Your biggest insight]

Don't give up on this. It matters.

[Your name]

Save this letter. Read it in 3 months. Reflect on your progress.

Thank You

Thank you for investing 8 weeks in building trust more intentionally.

This work matters. Farmers need advisors they can trust. You're building that.

The knowledge-to-action gap is real. But you're closing it—one documented visit, one prepared arrival, one farmer relationship at a time.

Now go build trust that lasts.

session: 8 sections_total: 7 estimated_completion: 55 minutes course_complete: true
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