Spring is the season of high activity for a Realtor, and for a farmer -- we make hay while the sun shines. Smart Realtors, like smart farmers, learn to pace themselves and never lose sight of the value of the simple joys and the relationships that sustain us.
The stereotypical Realtor, always on the fly, always on the phone, always working on the next deal is the Realtor that courts well being, health and relationship failures. And, this I know, the Realtor who cannot take care of themselves cannot take care of you. Anyone running on empty much of the time is not in peak form. You KNOW what it feels like yourself to be in the zone of creativity, clear thinking and good humour. That zone is a result of caring for the basics. In that zone the best marketing, negotiating and strategizing skills shine!
Here are some questions you should ask your perspective Realtor at your next interview:
1. If you are sitting down to a family dinner and I need something right then, what will you do? If they say, "drop everything and run over," you need to run from them! A great Realtor will always value friendship and family as vitally important (and have already strategized how to best utilize their time and thought ahead of what might come up for you).
2. How do you exercise? If they say, "only when time permits," exercise them out of your life. They cannot be in peak form to do the best possible job for you.
3. How do you manage stress? If they say stress is their constant companion, I can't stress enough how quickly you should interview candidate number 2.
Burnout, for the most part, is the end of the road of chasing dollars and losing sense of the core values of connection, strength and meaning. You cannot focus on chasing dollars and add the best possible value and service to your clients and your world.
So, hats off to all the hardworking farmers, Realtors and everyone else who knows how to work hard, work long, work smart....but never lose sight of the fact that if they lose their health, heart, head, friendships and family they have simply worked themselves into a sad and bankrupt state.
Success is the result of wholesome happiness, not numbers on your wall or your bank statement.
The stereotypical Realtor, always on the fly, always on the phone, always working on the next deal is the Realtor that courts well being, health and relationship failures. And, this I know, the Realtor who cannot take care of themselves cannot take care of you. Anyone running on empty much of the time is not in peak form. You KNOW what it feels like yourself to be in the zone of creativity, clear thinking and good humour. That zone is a result of caring for the basics. In that zone the best marketing, negotiating and strategizing skills shine!
Here are some questions you should ask your perspective Realtor at your next interview:
1. If you are sitting down to a family dinner and I need something right then, what will you do? If they say, "drop everything and run over," you need to run from them! A great Realtor will always value friendship and family as vitally important (and have already strategized how to best utilize their time and thought ahead of what might come up for you).
2. How do you exercise? If they say, "only when time permits," exercise them out of your life. They cannot be in peak form to do the best possible job for you.
3. How do you manage stress? If they say stress is their constant companion, I can't stress enough how quickly you should interview candidate number 2.
Burnout, for the most part, is the end of the road of chasing dollars and losing sense of the core values of connection, strength and meaning. You cannot focus on chasing dollars and add the best possible value and service to your clients and your world.
So, hats off to all the hardworking farmers, Realtors and everyone else who knows how to work hard, work long, work smart....but never lose sight of the fact that if they lose their health, heart, head, friendships and family they have simply worked themselves into a sad and bankrupt state.
Success is the result of wholesome happiness, not numbers on your wall or your bank statement.
