Most often, Jason, losing teaches us.  It teaches us how to be better at our weaker moments, it teaches us patience with ourselves, and among many other things, it teaches us to be gracious when we win.  Best wishes on your paths to winning, and sadly...to losing, too!  Remember that the losing times are the times when lessons are most learned.  :)  Thanks for your thoughts and intelligent post!

Jason, I know that we don't know each other, but I feel a lot of pain in your writing.  I hope that you come out on the bright side of whatever it is you are going through right now, realizing that there is a lot of life ahead of you to still be lived.  Best wishes.

Thanks for the great post and food for thought as we wind down the weekend and look toward the challenges in the week ahead.

Thanks again.

Sarah - I believe you can learn a lot about a person on the basis of how they lose. 

Lisa - Lol, don't get me wrong hun, I'm a pretty happy & content guy.  I just remember, that's all. 

Brad - Thank you kind Sir!  Let's have one heck of a week!!

I try to stop tripping on the What ifs and focus on the What is. Those What ifs are what dictated who I was before...not who I am now.

I learn from everything I am experiencing at this moment in time.... I'll let you know what I come up with after I figure out...            what if the other agent is on meds?

Good point Sally.  'What IS' is the reality we have to deal with.

I never lose so I can't relate to this post. Just kidding. If I wasn't a loser I definately would not still be in this business!! I really enjoy your post Thanks

Jason...

Yes, I agree with you completely.  Keeping our heads in the game after any loss can be a challenge.  However, commitment and dedication are what I look for in all circumstances.  I had the bestest example of that in my father! 

Yeah...what is ...is that I'm stuck in my own kaka....it's almost over...it's almost over..

Pretty good food for thought...it sucks but it's dead on that there is always someone better...however, it does feel good to be better at most at some things...which we all are at one thing or another  =)

I couldn't stop not commenting on your post. Indeed you are soooo right... The more you loose the more you appreciate life, and the little think that you may overlook if wouln't be for all your loses. Great post.

Jason,

First I need to address the Larry Bird issue, there always was someone better...his rival from college...Magic Johnson!!!

As far as all of the other potential losses, you just have to realize that the treasures of this world are of the world and the true treasures wait for you in heaven.  Remember, the world is Satan's domain - Heaven is the Kingdom of God and all things work for good for those who love the Lord!

You are looking and the answer is there.  Many will take the wide path to eternity and only a few will find the narrow path that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.  Call me again anytime, my friend.  anytime

Now Have a Blessed Day,
 
by John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR
Mission Grove Realty  

The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree.  Your dad sounds like one heck of a guy.

I can't believe you don't have music to this one.  So I am brining it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lJIjdajBww

Jason - What an excellent post.  And thank to Bob Carney for the perfect music selection! 

You are so right that we must constantly strive to be the best we can be...no matter what the circumstances.  There's a fun book entitled Dance Like NObody's Watching.  That's a great way to live life.  Live it large.  Here's one of my new favorite quotes:

"Do not wish to be anything but what you are, and try to be that perfectly."   St. Francis De Sales

Sweet dreams my friend.

Hey Baby, No Falls, No Balls................Life ain't easy.

Are you OK? 

Loosing is a lesson on the pathway of learning to win.  I don't so much see it as winning but more as reaching the things you wish to achieve.  If there were no failures ever; would there be any sweetness in success, I don't think so because we would have nothing to compare it too.

I think everything is a choice, including being here on this planet.  To me it is not a random accident or a freak in the natural events of the world that brought me here.  I believe it was a conscious choice made within the greater part of this magnificent universe.

Good post.

Lol Rebecca, you've got to have the where with all to lose to survive in this biz.

That is a great example Sarah, I'd say he did one heck of a job.

Awww Sis, if you ever need to talk, I'm always here. 

Rondel - Valid points amigo!

Arina - Well articulated.  Comment away anytime you feel the desire.

John - Damn, loved the Johnson-Bird rivalry.  We'll agree to disagree on who's better, yet I have the utmost respect for Magic's ability on that stage.  As far as this stage, you're probably right, you're probably very right.

He is Maggie and he'll like that you said that, considering you are one heck of a mom.  Loved that post BTW, you have a very lucky/wise daughter.

Beautiful Carney, love that song.  It fits in, I'm going to add it you inspirational chap you:-)

Sweet dreams to you Marlene....

No immediate complaints Laurie.  You actually like me, don't ya:-)  I like the 'No falls....no balls, life ain't easy' thing.  Can I use it?  Actually, I'm not ok, I realized I've been misspelling loosing for 31 years now, shoot!  Get some sleep Manny, I should do the same.

Your thoughts are welcome and wise Darrel.  Thank you.

Yeah, you can use it, I didn't coin it, been using it for years. 

:) Keeping an eye on my bad boy in the rain................

Lol, I'm just sitting here peering up at my halo Laurie:-)

Jason, my day's been so good I refuse to go to bed in an effort to make it last longer.  But if I keep getting replies to comments like this one, I may never sleep again.  oy vey.....

Silence is sometimes golden, I bid you sweet dreams Miss Maggie.

Jason, as much as I appreciate the bid, I'm not off to bed yet.  I told you I'm making this one last.  The night's still young.....

Lol, I know Maggie.  But I'm off to bed.  So bid me sweet dreams:-) 

As far as your day, and night, I wish it could last forever. 

Jason, I hope I didn't miss the chance.  I bid you sweet dreams.  Truly.

Jason and Maggie, a little love feast going on. :)

Win or lose, we are here for the journey. I learn more from the loses but they can be painful at the time. Hindsight is 20/20, in the midst of losing we never see the lessons, years or months later we do.

What if I wrote a post inspired by Jason's Dad and then he did, too?  How spooky would that be?  

Larry Bird, Woohoo!!!  Those were my boys, and you're too young for them to be anything but "Classic Moments" to you but I got to see Bird, McHale, Parrish and Johnson play and THAT is one of my best sports moments EVER!!!

And to answer all your questions, if I lose it all, I still have me.  I'd be figuring out what lesson God wanted to teach me with that personal little Armageddon and I'd move on as best I could.  That's all my answers in one fell swoop.

(And the fact that there's always someone better is a GOOD thing.  Takes the pressure off and gives me someone to look up to and learn from, right?)

Tell your Dad thanks. 

Jason Learning to deal with lifes disappointments can be full of challanging rewards. Take you for example, I say you learned the more important things in life, and that is more precious than gold!

Geeze Jason.  You have perfected deep and introspective.  This one needs background music, for sure.

MarcRonson

Jason,  Getting right back in the game and never taking it personally is what counts.....

Like Gretzky says "You miss 100 % of the shots you don't take."

Jo 

Trial and error..you can't always get what you want.

Jason - What if you didn't matter to most?

What if nobody liked, loved, adored, who you were, and you were all alone?

These would be very said indeed! All any of us can do is get up everyday and be the best we are. I heard someone say one time "What other people think is none of your business!" That always has helped me a lot when I've been hurt or disapointed in something or someone.

And, you know...we are never alone.

Jason, are you reading my mind again?  I will take it further; exeriencing the losses or your lowest points in life and surviving them make you not only stronger but hopefully ease your fears: okay, so you don't have any money and yet you can and do survive.  You are alone but you move forward.  You will never feel the same amount of fear about these because you know what it felt like and how you coped.  For me it's all about survival and facing my greatest fears head-on.

I've been pretty fortunate it seems, but I did lose something so extremely valuable once, it's just too sad to put into words here. It ripped into the depths of my soul. But it also did something else - it re-defined joy for me in a big way. Now, even something as simple as a fresh wind in my face brings me incredible happiness. It's all about perspective. The art of interior spin.

As always, a great post Jason... 

I learned early in life that there will always be someone prettier, smarter, better at something, etc.  It is not about who is better, but better yet, being YOUR BEST.  It is true, there are times in life when we feel that we have lost (but have we really lost) - the important thing is to take the loss (turn it into something positive) as a lesson to be learned to help you become the BEST THAT YOU CAN BE, rather than an insult!  Now, you have just become a WINNER!

Good post once again Jason. Alot of thought goes into your posts. I think thats why you get so many "are you alrights". Good stuff.....keep us thinking

Modesty is always the best policy....chased by a slice of humble pie.

 Oh cliche's are useful...aren't they?

Now there's a quote worth remembering...

"No falls ... No balls" :)

Did you know Blog Boy (Broker Bryant) and I jingle when we walk? Some of you may not get that one. 

I'll give you a clue...It has something to do with steel :)

TLW...ROAR!

I believe that we learn more through our failures than we do our successes.  It is always darkest just before dawn.  We life seems dark, scary, and lonely, we can take comfort in the fact that morning is about to break. 

There is an ebb and flow to life.  Without losing there would be no winning.  Without hate there would be no love.  Without sadness there would be no joy. Without poverty there would be no riches.

Our attitude determines our altitude.

Hi Jason,

It is only in school that we are taught that losing/making mistakes are bad.  Real life means hitting the ground many many times and often in a row!

MWA for your featured post!!

Jason~ Very reflective post indeed. There is always someone better...? I buy that in certain circumstances and not in others, because there is no pleasing everyone. You have to do your best at all times, FOR YOU, even when life sucks. Then you can always look back and take your failures for what they really are...not someone else perception. Deep thoughts;)

TLW~ I get what you mean;)wink. wink.

Something of a correlation to that is that you don't know someone's true character until you see how he responds in bad times. It's easy to be honorable when everything's going your way, but when times are tough and you're up against it - that's when your character comes out.

Jason,

Once again, you've gone deep. I can attest to the truth of what you have written here. Losing definitely helps us win, because in the loss of something we see it's true value. Thanks for making us think.

Everyone can be a good winner, but those who take losing well are winners in the long run.   Good post.

Jason,

It's most important to realize that what defines us is not so much the loses but how we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start all over again.   We just closed on one of the most difficult negotiated transactions of our career.  It was a 1.2 million dollar transaction and I was ready to walk away at one point but my husband brought me back from the brink.  Sometimes the fear of loss is the worst part of the game of life.  Thanks for sharing another thought provoking post!

Hey Sarah - I saw all of them, too, several times as a matter of fact!!  Woo-hoo for sure!!

Jason - I think I still love you!  ;-))

Great post, and I love that same line that TLW and others love, and I'm still wondering just what "MWA" means.....someone clue me in please!

Ann

There are no failures - just experiences and your reactions to them.

Life's real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up.

And my very favorite by Ben Franklin - "I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 way to do it wrong".

Jason - You tend to go where no blogger goes, I like that.  We should probably name you the nitty gritty blogger, just scraping it down with your finger nail...below the blogging surface.

This is great post. Really makes you think. Rate a 5.

 The best decisions are made from a position of strength.....we grow stronger from the life lessons we learn.

Maggie, I caught your comment before I entered the realm of dreams....thank you.

Missy - My posts are all about Love....Controversy....and Hindsight.

Sarah - My father will truly be honored, I'm going to email him your post manana.

Diane - I think I did.  I think you did as well.  It makes us wise beyond our years, and in my case, a tad Bad.

Chris - Carney provided the soundtrack, I love Bob!  There, I said that!!

Jo-Anne - I love that quote by Gretsky....

Neal - But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.  Gotta love 'The Stones.'

Linda - We aren't alone, even the us wallflowers of the world.  I believe that.

Diane - Well said, I'm not reading your mind but it appears we are a lot alike.  You poor soul:-)

Jennifer - Interior spin huh, I love the phrase.  Very true.  I love how you write...and think.

Michelle - Wow, that a wonderful comment.  Wisdom to live by....

You could be right Tom, that's why psychiatrists have a field day with me, and I, them:-)

I like the modesty cliche Robert, I look for that quality in anyone I meet.  When it comes down to the brass tacks of things, we all awake from a similar life.

TLW - That quote is awesome, loved it.  I'm coming up blank on the jingle though....clue me in:-)

Your last line on that comment Dan is freaking phenomenal!

MWA cause you gave me a MWA Cooper.  MWA!!!

Laura - Clue me in on the TLW thing, will ya:-)?

Sharon - That's probably the very point this post didn't make.  That is so freaking true.  Anybody can be a good winner, I look for the passionate loser who puts on the trunks one more time.  Great comment!

Andrew - Welcome back from vacation man, hope you had a great time!  I hope to speak with you soon...you seem gold in my book.

David & Kristin - Exactly, that's a fact in my mind.

Lisa & Robert - The fear of loss is powerful, still something I must personally work on.

MWA is Cyber-Kisses Ann, so here's to you...............MWA!!!

You have a way with words Tracey, I like that way.

Thank you Malika.

I concur Sally & David, true in my book.

Losing, or just disappointments, is life's lesson to learn. The hard part is being able to get back up, dust yourself off and move forward. It took me a long time to do this and not take things personally. High 5 for your great post!

I tend to take things personally as well Debbie, that flaw I may never rid myself of.

Jason,

Great post.  I think I've experienced alot of those what if's in my life and when you are going through it, it is sometimes hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  However, you nailed it by saying someone will always be better and another way to look at it, is that some things just aren't meant to be even if you tried to do all the right things.  Sometimes it isn't us, it's the situation, timing etc.  and if we look for the positive in any given situation, we can usually find something.  I recently went through a very long and difficult time and although I still don't understand why, I do understand and can empathsize with someone who has dealt with a similiar situation and maybe for my situation that is what I was supposed to get out of it.  And if that wasn't it, well maybe there is still something to be learned.

Great post jason. Like you said,someone will always be better - which is true. But knowing that should help you become a better person yourself. No matter how good you are,there is always room for improvement.

Thank you I truly feel not only do you learn from your mistakes you grow you become a better human being you become a better teacher and you find your destiny...I have made some very big mistakes in my life but I look at it as if I had not made those mistakes I would not have learned such life lessons and would not be blessed with all I have today....

Ok Jason, What if?

What if you didn't have a dime to your name?

What if nobody commented on what you're posting?

What if every Crush you had turned you down?

What if the mate you thought was a part of your soul, no longer felt the same?

What if you didn't matter to most?

What if nobody liked, loved, adored, who you were, and you were all alone?

What if you played the game and lost time and again?

What if these things happened.  The bottom line is we will all die.  We can choose the time or let time choose us.  So what do we do?

We SHOULD strive to be the one that sets the bar.  "You want to set the record?"...  well here's the record.

I KNOW I am better than many in my job.  How do I know?  Feedback and Results.  Are there better?  Of course..... but in two veins..... One is ACTUAL, the other PERCEIVED.

I can BEAT actual..... I have to continually work on perceived.

BTW.... Larry Bird was the best . (Micheal Jordan.... I apologize),

Other than those two...... ok, Wilt........ FORGET ABOUT IT.

Larry Bird in particular is a great example of what you are discussing.  Jordan had EXCEPTIONAL physical skills......and was extraordinary.  KUDOS to Michael.

Larry had a 'knack;.... a way of using his Gut Feel to make his players around him better.  he was not 'just a scoring machine'.... his TRUE skills were learning the game.  He was probably the best assist guy I ever saw... he knew that WINNING...was the end game.

You can easily be a Larry Bird.  Stay focused, learn the game.  Do NOT miss opportunity ... and do not be afraid of taking a risk.

Good stuff Jason. Always a good reminder about how we handle ourselves. Much appreciated.

Jason...so true. Much of life is dealing with the failures and rejections. Fortunately, life usually sprinkles in a few wins along the way to keep us going!

Hi, Jason!  You have an intriguing stream of thought.  : )  I've no meaningful outlook, just that wishful thinking doesn't accomplish anything.  When you want something, work towards it.  You may lose or fail, so what--there's another day to try, and you just might win then. 

I think its best to think of the dealings with people as a long process.  Then each time we run into a situation that doesnt work we can treat it as a practice run for our next real estate encounter. 

Thanks for this post- lots of food for thought.

Really good post. Thanks for sharing with everyone.

Jason, Great post.. I believe sometimes you don't realize what you have until its gone..

Wonderful post. Loosing helps build character. It also makes it more fun when next you win.

Great post Jason.  You usually learn from failure!

I agree with Sally......it is what it is.  No ifs for me anymore. Loved your post. 

I had to give you a 5 star for this one!!  As I was reading your post my eyes filled with tears.  Life can be hard sometimes, but the rewards for the hardness we endure are the absolute treasures in my life!  I try to live every day being the best I can be...sometimes I am a better best than other days but keeps me trying!

Jason,

Once again written like a true writer :0) It's amazing how we look at things isn't it? very defining..

Tom Weiss

Christi - What made you so wise Christi, cause those words you wrote, in my book, reign true.

Lanre - I believe in constant evolution of our businesses, of our lives.

Tammy - We all make mistakes, I will continue to do so.  Not because I want to, but because I have too.

Mr. Rob - I agree with your synopsis on Bird, if only everybody had his work ethic.  If I get number one pick, I'd take him any day of the weak.  I'd take Magic next & then Bill Russel.  Wilt & Jordan are all yours.

Gary - Thank you sir, how we handle ourselves helps define who we are.  Sometimes I'm the village idiot and other times pure innovator.  In between, I like the human thing best.

Al - If you don't take the shot, there's no chance of making it.  That's risk & oft-times, life.

Yolanda - True work is under-rated.  If you look at the most successful individuals, financially & otherwise, my bet is they were never afraid of it.

Inside Richmond Real Estate - Sometimes it is a journey, I've worked with clients for years before ever properly closing their loan.

Darla - Thank you for stopping by.

Bob & Carolin -  I appreciate the kudos, still striving for the perfection thing myself:-)

Matthew - It's amazing how our appreciation shines through when something may no longer be there.

Christopher - I have tons of character, yet I don't like to lose.  It happens though and you are right, it makes winning much more attractive.

Katie -  I think that is one of the reason it even exists.

Dianne -  "It is what it is."  Love that quote.

Bobbie -  Awwwww, beautiful comment.  Be you & be strong, I don't want to sound like Dr. Phil cause I don't wear a moustache and still have most of my hair, but I think you may be on the right track Bobbie. 

Thank you Thomas, depending on who you ask, I'm a true 'lot of things':-)

Jason,, this is just before I joined AR full time, was looking back to see if I could recognise the breaking point in your writings.....Not yest, I jest,  but I do like this one anyway

"What if nobody commented on what you're posting?"

Since I've changed my format from relevant to irreverent, I've become irrelevant. 

Still, I write - or post, at least.  Because.

Mike - You may have inspired another post with that comment:-)

Art - Lol, you are still one of the best kept secrets around my friend.