They say hindsight is 20\/20, and when I think back to a conversation I had with my grandfather as a teenager, I realize just how true that is. We were sitting in the shade, talking one day, when he told me something I\u2019ve never forgotten:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI could\u2019ve bought as much land in the Tombigbee River Bottom as I wanted for $50 an acre… and I didn\u2019t. I\u2019ve regretted it ever since.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My grandfather was a welder by trade, a true craftsman. With maybe a third-grade education, he made a career for himself as a Class A welder and was earning more money in his late 20s and 30s than he ever dreamed possible growing up. However, even with that success, the opportunity to invest in land slipped away, and it remained one of his biggest regrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That moment stuck with me, not just as a missed opportunity in his life, but as a seed planted in mine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I grew up immersed in the outdoors with my dad. Tromping through the Kilgore Hills of Clay County, MS, Hunting, fishing, and being part of hunting clubs were more than hobbies; they were part of who I was. I dreamed early on of having my own piece of ground, a place to roam freely, to improve, and one day, to pass on. That dream stayed with me through high school, through college, and into a nearly 20-year successful career in big corporation sales and sales management. For the past 15 years, I have worked for one of, if not the largest, automotive companies in the world, managing some of the largest accounts we had in our division. On paper, it was everything I thought I wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But then 2020 happened, and like so many people, the COVID pandemic shook my foundation. Travel restrictions, uncertainty, and the sinking realization that even with years of loyalty and performance, I was still \u201cdispensable.\u201d I started to question everything: Was this really it? Was this the life I wanted for the next 20 years?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfully, I had already taken a step years before that, unbeknownst to me at the time, that would give me something to build on, though I had no idea just how meaningful that step would become. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
2012 was one of the most impactful years of my life. In August of that year, when I was 29 years old, I tragically lost my dad in an accident. He knew I had been looking for land and was genuinely excited about being part of that journey. Having recently retired and bought himself a brand-new tractor, he was ready to help, whether it was clearing trails, working food plots, or just spending time together on the property. Sadly, he never got the chance to see that dream come to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just a couple of months after his passing, I closed on my first piece of land. It was 40 acres, about 20 minutes from home. What started as a long-time dream suddenly became something much deeper. That land became a place of healing, reflection, and renewal. I poured myself into improving the property, originally planning to build a home but eventually deciding on a cabin instead. I spent countless hours out there alone, navigating life without my father and working through what that meant for me as a man, a son, and eventually a husband and father myself. It became more than just land; it became a place of peace, purpose, and transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2015, I married the love of my life, and shortly after, we started a family, and yes, at one point, we even lived in that little cabin while transitioning between homes and renovations. It was small and rustic, yes, but it was ours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2018, we found a bigger property, a 250-acre tract, 40 minutes from home that offered more room for our growing family (we had a daughter in 2017 and later a son in 2022). But the real turning point came in 2021, when I decided to get my real estate license. What started as a \u201cbackup plan\u201d became a calling. Through a mutual connection, I met Mark Lewis with National Land Realty. I was blown away, not just by his knowledge, but by the people in the organization. People of integrity, passion, and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, leaving a steady paycheck isn\u2019t easy, especially with two kids, a mortgage, and a lifetime of playing it safe. There were hard conversations with my wife. There were moments of doubt. There were the inevitable naysayers whispering fear into the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there was also faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that through faith, God is not putting dreams in our hearts without purpose. Faith that if I worked the plan, the plan would work for me. So I leaned on my mentors. I studied. I decided to pursue a broker\u2019s license; I became a FAA Part 107 drone pilot. All the while, I kept my day job, traveled, sold land in my free time, and did what had to be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2024, I passed my broker\u2019s exam on the first try, and by April 2025, at 42 years old, I took the leap. I walked away from a 20-year career in corporate sales to pursue my passion full time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, why am I sharing this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because I know someone reading this is sitting in a cubicle or behind a desk, dreaming about turning their passion into their career. You might feel stuck. You might feel afraid. You might think it\u2019s too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be smart. Make a plan. Work hard. Have faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, land prices have gone up. That same Tombigbee River Bottom land my grandfather passed on? Today, depending on use and improvements, it might fetch $3,000 to $5,000 an acre or more. But the value of land isn\u2019t just in the numbers. It\u2019s in the freedom it represents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m not saying the road is easy. I\u2019m saying it\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m living proof that with a little grit, a whole lot of prayer, and the right people around you, you can build a life around your passion and never look back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
—<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thinking about buying your own piece of ground or taking the leap into a new career? Whether you’re looking for land or you’re sitting at a crossroads in life, I\u2019d love to connect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feel free to reach out to me directly at Dclardy@NationalLand.com with questions about land ownership, getting started in real estate, or just to talk about what\u2019s next for you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
They say hindsight is 20\/20, and when I think back to a conversation I had with my grandfather as a teenager, I realize just how true that is. We were sitting in the shade, talking one day, when he told me something I\u2019ve never forgotten: \u201cI could\u2019ve bought as much land in the Tombigbee River … <\/p>\n