What do you do if you’re 29 years old, at the prime of your career and earning tens of millions of dollars? For Jason Brown, it meant giving it all up to become a farmer.
Brown shocked the sports world in 2012 when he walked away from a $37.5 million contract with the St. Louis Rams — and the prestige of being the highest-paid center in the NFL — to buy a 1,000-acre plot in Louisburg, North Carolina, now known as First Fruits Farm.
The farm’s name hints at the fact that the Browns [donated the first yield of every harvest to local food banks, indicating that this wasn’t just a career shift for the professional athlete, but a personal mission. And, as the farm’s yields have increased, so too have their donations.
“We are a donation-first farm,” Brown told the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017. “My wife and I made a covenant with God that whatever we produce on his farm, that we’re going to give our local communities our first fruits of whatever is grown from our farm.”
The leap from touchdowns to tractors may sound radical, but Brown’s fascinating story offers a blueprint for finding your true calling without going broke.
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Build a financial cushion
If giving back is your goal, don’t skip the foundational step: financial stability. Jason Brown’s journey from NFL star to full-time farmer-philanthropist was made possible by years of high-earning groundwork.
Like many impact-driven leaders, he built his safety net first, ensuring his mission wouldn’t be derailed by outside funding pressures or donor fatigue.
Rising operational costs and a lack of financial resources were cited as the top challenges by American non-profits, according to the 2024 State of the Nonprofit Sector Report by accounting firm Forvis Mazars. Roughly 68% of them are expected to cut back services in the next two years as a result.
By accumulating wealth and self-funding your philanthropic efforts, you can avoid these issues and prolong the life of your social venture.
Align your financial freedom with a deeper mission
A 2024 survey by ResumeBuilder revealed that 13% of retired seniors plan to re-enter the workforce in 2025. Notably, 26% of these retirees expressed strong enthusiasm about returning to work — with 42% citing boredom as their primary motivation.
This trend highlights a broader issue: while many people dedicate years striving for financial freedom, few invest the same energy into envisioning how they’ll spend their time once they achieve it.
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Financial freedom often brings unexpected challenges, like a loss of purpose or daily structure, leading some to return to work — not out of necessity — but to regain a sense of fulfillment and engagement.
To combat this, align your long-term financial goals with a deeper personal mission. Whether it’s fighting food insecurity like Jason Brown or tackling malaria in India, like Bill Gates, dedicating your life and resources to a cause that means a lot to you could be the best way to spend your financially free years.
Learn to make an impact
Philanthropy isn’t just about good intentions — it requires specific skills. If you’re planning to launch a non-profit or social enterprise, invest time in understanding the competencies needed to succeed in this space.
Brown, for instance, says he knew nothing about farming or agriculture before he launched First Fruit Farms. “I went to the online University of YouTube, while playing football,” he joked in an interview with TODAY’s Carig Melvin. “I watched hours and hours of film every single day.”
Similarly, your passion project or social mission might involve a learning curve. Acquiring these skills early could boost your chances of success.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
