"A ship in the harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are made for."
Think of your mind as a boatyard, and yourself as a boat builder. Think of your business as the vessel you're creating. Once it's seaworthy, it's going to take you to the places you've dreamed of, perhaps to places you never imagined possible.
I struggle with the pursuit of perfection. It's a flaw. Before my boat was launched, I wasted more years than I care to admit making sure it would be sleek and beautiful. I didn't want it in the water until the paint job was perfect, and the lettering on the bow was just right.
Once it was launched, I kept it in the harbor for weeks waiting for the latest electronics to arrive so that I would be able to find the best fish out on the fishing grounds. I spent a lot of money on electronics, and I bragged to my friends about the image resolution of my fishfinder, and its ability to tell the big fish from the little ones. I was going to target big fish, because that's where the money would be. My friends admired my magnificent plans, and talked to their friends about my boat. It made me proud.
Meanwhile, my competitor for those fish had finished his boat, launched it and headed out to sea. Well, it wasn't exactly finished--his boat, after all, only had a primer coat of paint, and I knew for a fact that one of his engines was sort of patched together from salvage parts. The engines didn't purr like my new diesels. His electronics were older, clunky and outdated.
While I was busy getting ready to fish, my competitor Bob was fishing. He wasn't very efficient, but within a week he was back with a hold full of fish. They weren't very big fish, but on the other hand, he sure had a lot of them. And no one was talking about his boat--they were paying him for the fish they wanted.
I want my legacy to be a legacy of action. Do it. Get 'er done! Storm clouds are brewing in the mortgage industry right now, and in the real estate industry too. I've heard that some boats have capsized out there. But my friends, it's not time to hunker down and pray for the storm to pass. It's time to put out from harbor, head to the fishing grounds, and start fishing.
A ship in the harbor is safe, but it doesn't make any money.
And that's the real estate opinion of this Tucson, Arizona mortgage lender
Mike in Tucson
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Mike -
Great analogy. Staying in the harbor is not risking anything or being rewarded. Excellent post!