When I was very young growing up in the sixties I remember seeing a movie about a man that that was confined to a room for several years. He could not leave the room but would be given anything he asked for. He went through many phases during those years. Sometimes he would sleep all the time. Other times he stayed up all the time drinking and getting drunk.
One day this man asked for and was given a grand piano. When he was given the grand piano he knew absolutely nothing about playing a piano of any kind. He asked for books and started to learn by teaching himself. After a few years he was playing beautifully and did not need any music sheets to play extraordinary music.
After he had spent all the time in this room (it was something like 5-7 years) the door to the room was open. He was so engrossed in his music and books that he did not bother to go out. He had no way of knowing the difference between night and day and spent every moment engrossed on his studies.
This simple but powerful little movie has caused me to think about our society as we have known it for the past several years.
As kids we are given televisions, cell phones, ipods, computers, game boys, and on and one and on. As young adults if someone took away our cell phones, televisions and computers many of us would become angry and many would become vicious.
Has all this worldly attraction been good for us or has it kept us from developing the skills that are inside each and every one of us? The man in the story I mention was only able to develop his skills when everything else was taken away from him. I doubt he would have developed his amazing skill if he had been given everything.
I am certainly not talking about taking everyone's cell phones, computers and televisions away from them and closing them up in a room. I am simply saying that the human mind is amazing.
There is a handful of Realtors that are flourishing in today's market because they had the vision to see a changing market and implemented systems to take advantage of it. Many others are locked up in their room just like the man in this story but have not opened their minds and looked for ways to take advantage of the market the way it is today.
These past few weeks I have had many Realtors call me or come into my office and asked me how it is that I am doing so well. How did you create that powerful site of yours? How are you drawing in so many clients? How did you create all your systems? How are you doing this? How are you doing that? What many of these Realtors don't realize is that the greatest resource is themselves. When we create something from nothing, rather than having it handed to us, we will value it more and take more pride in ourselves.
Many Realtors are truly waiting for the market to change back to the way it was prior to the market changing without doing anything to take advantage of the market the way it is today. They believe they will wake up tomorrow morning and "Short Sales" will be gone and "Foreclosures" will be a thing of the past.
Just like the man in this story learned to play the piano and started playing beautiful music, we too have an opportunity to adapt to our changing world and reap the benefits of opening up our creative minds and take advantage of all the opportunities that surround us.
Just like the saying goes: "I have seen the enemy and the enemy is me"
 |
 |
Posted By: George Tallabas - Boise Idaho Real Estate Agent - Associate Broker
with RE/MAX Advantage, Canyon Counties #1 Brokerage in sales and listings
specializing in Boise Idaho Real Estate and Southwest Idaho Real Estate.
well said George - we need to open our minds and look for new ways to get things done.
Judy - So true my friend. I hope all is well.
Hi George - boy has my world changed enormously this week. I have a lot of adapting to do, and will be looking for many new ways to get things done that I now need to do myself. Your last sentence says so much, and I'll likely be back several times to re-read that to help me get through my days to come.
Ann
George, good point and great story to back it up. Many thriving Realtors are focusing on the REO market while others have no idea how to work with banks.
Ann - Thank you my friend. Just know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Gary - So true my friend. Those that don't adapt are lost.
Hi George - I know and I do so appreciate that.....thank you
Ann
Ann - You are very welcome my friend.
George - I was one of the RE dinosaurs, used to the old ways. I opened my eyes, saw that the internet is not just for online banking and email.
With help from you and many others here on AR, I am learning, improving, paying attention.
Thank you.
Virginia - Good for you! Keep at it and keep learning!
George, how true about the children. How can they really learn to be quite and at peace. Oh my, I am so lost without being wired. But, just a few years ago, I had nothing more than a clunky cell phone. All the noise !
Hope all is well, great story. Yes, you can make it in any market, if you adapt to change.
Missy - Thank you and you are one of the movers and shakers!
Great story. We probably do give our kids too much too rapidly. They don't have time to develop a skill.
Barbara - I think it is not only our kids but ourselves as well. Thank you for stopping by and have a great evening.
Hi George...Great story...like the movie you captured the event and put it to print here.
Thanks for sharing your memories!
Thank you for another lovely and thought provoking post George. I am sad to think of all the really nice real estate agents I know who are struggling right now. But when I point them to some resources that might help them (like Active Rain) they say "I can't" or "I'm too old to learn so much new stuff" or "We never did it like that before. I'm just going to keep on doing it this way because it has worked in the past". It is true that we are each a great resource. Learning how to make the most of that resource is the difficult part.
Fred - Thank you as always my friend. Take good care.
Michelle - So true my friend. I have heard all those excuses myself and those are the Realtors that are hanging on by their fingernails and doomed to fail. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are doing well.
Hi George...As depressing a this story is it does convey, in a very powerful way, our need to be able to adapt.
In this down turn some people have found their niche with short sales and foreclosures.
For others it is doing what they have always done but with renewed enthusiasm. After all sometimes we get a little complacent when things come easily and we have to get motivated again. We have to remember how much effort we put into it when we first started. For some it is at that stage all over again.
Before giving up, hopefully people will invest even more in themselves.
Kathleen
,
One of the ways to increase your odds in real estate is certainly to stay abreast of the different trends in the market and to learn all that we can about them. As you noted, in this down turn some people have found their niche with short sales and foreclosures.
Kathleen - Thanks for sharing your opinion and hatave a great evening.
George - it all goes back to self reliance and developing our own resources. Without both of those traits we are not going to be happy or successful - personally or professionally.
We (collectively) need to realize that the best resource any of us have is our God-given talents and personalities. We need to develop them to the fullest.
Thanks for sharing such a poignant story.
It seems like the kids today don't even want to go outside, unless there is something to entertain them. All of the gadgets and games keep them so occupied, it is making them anti-social. We used to play until dark, or until our parents would make us come in. Most neighborhoods are ghost towns these days. Makes you wonder.
Excellent story George! Our minds are so powerful, yet we rarely tap into our potential.
Carol - As always, thank you my friend for sharing your wonderful thoughts.
Cindy - Oh so very true, thank you and have a wonderful day.
Pam - This is true my friend. See you soon.
George, What a beautiful post. I firmly believe that we need to "earn" our own, and make it in the world ourselves. Your story was so sad, but yet so empowering.
I had my first job when I was 15. My kids would never dream of working at that age. Too much "stuff" for kids these days. So many kids these days just don't "get it", mine included. I have spoiled them, because I can. Not a wise choice in the long run, most likely. I know for me, I wanted to give my children more than I had.
I think it all boils down to how badly you want it and will we do what it takes to get it? Obviously, you are!
Elizabeth - Again, thank you so much for such a heartfelt and well written comment. I hope you had a wonderful day.
George, you are always trying to stay ahead of the game and thinking outside the box. The successful agents are focusing on success and looking for better ways to sell real estate. This is a great reminder that we must focus on blogging. Great article
Kay - Thank you my friend. I love sharing my views and thoughts with all. Take good care and have a great evening.
Thanks again for being a great resource for me today! I appreciate your wisdom and advice! I also heard that, in the midst of touring, helping others, and selling real estate you became a grandpa this week! Wow! Congratulations and best wishes for your family.
Tracy - Thank you very much my friend. As you know, a few Active Rain members have helped me grow my website and the SEO knowledge they have shared with me is invaluable. You are one of the very few that want to learn those SEO tools and grow your business instead of just using Active Rain as a social gathering place. I guarantee you that if you use even half of what I have shared with you it will make a huge difference in your business. Yes, I am new grandpa and am in cloud 9 over it and have not come down yet! Have a great evening Tracy.
This is a powerful post. Thanks for the outside the box comparison.
Zachry - You are very welcome. Have a great evening.