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You Can't Get to the Right Place by Going the WRONG WAY!

wrong way My wife told me she saw a bum at the I-75 southbound entrance ramp in Bradenton, Florida holding a sign saying "Georgia." I figure the sign meant he was looking for a ride that would take him toward Georgia. The problem is to get to Georgia from where the guy was, he needed to go North, not South. He was going the WRONG WAY!

A few hours later my wife was driving down the other side of the highway and noticed that he had moved to the entrance of the Northbound ramp. Finally, he was headed the RIGHT WAY.

Life is like that sometimes. I can think of a few times in life that I was headed the wrong way. It was confusing, time-consuming, and often painful. When I turned around and started heading the right way, things were more clear, I made good headway, and I was happy.

I wonder if the bum got to where he is in life by going the wrong way too often. Why is he homeless? Is he estranged from his family? Is his life working out the way he really wants it to? I doubt it.

Every once in a while it behooves us to examine the direction we are going in our relationships, our career, and our life in general. Who knows, maybe we need to turn around and go the other direction. Or, maybe we just need to change course a little bit to get better results.

What do you think?

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Dan Forbes, PL is a licensed Broker-Associate and Certified Residential Specialist serving the Bradenton - Sarasota, Florida market. He leads the Forbes Advantage Team at RE/MAX Gulfstream Realty's Lakewood Ranch Office. To learn more about buying a home or selling a home in the Bradenton - Sarasota Florida Real Estate market please visit Dan on the web at BradentonFloridaRealEstate.com ; TheRealEstateZoo.com ; The-Short-Sale-Expert.com ; and BradentonRealEstateClub.com Please call Dan today directly at 941-713-5760 or toll free at 800-756-3068.

Posted by Bradenton Florida Real Estate - Dan Forbes on 09/16/2007 02:06 PM

Comments (26)

lessons, dan forbes

26 Comments on You Can't Get to the Right Place by Going the WRONG WAY!

Dan: Ten years ago I made that turn...a 180 degree turn....all the years before I was doing the 360 degree...kept ending up where I started....

I give you a big WooHoo and a fiver (I don't give those out too much but we all need this today!)

09/16/2007 02:16 PM

by Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman (RA), e-PRO HAWAII Real Estate & HAWAII Relocation (Century 21 Liberty Homes -Mililani, Hawaii)

Dan, I agree with you completely.
I find that in life you need to constantly fine tune your compass to stay on the right track. It's like they say, no matter how hard you work or how many things you do, if you aren't doing the right things you're not going to get where you want to go. In fact, you'll just veer further and further off course.

There are many forks in the road too and sometimes we take the wrong one thinking it is the right one...then we have to backtrack to the fork and start again.

No one said it was going to be easy....

09/16/2007 02:34 PM

by Jo-Anne Smith-Belleville, Quinte and Prince Edward Region Real Estate, Ont. (Royal Lepage Proalliance Realty, Brokerage)

Good post... nice analogy. If we want to get where we are going we sure need to make sure we check our map - often!

09/16/2007 02:48 PM

by Gary Waters - Real Estate Agent Viera Suntree (Century 21 Baytree Realty www.moving2brevard.com)

Dan- Another great post. The beauty of life is that we can always change our course if we DECIDE to do so! I love the power of choice! Katerina

09/16/2007 03:18 PM

by Nestor & Katerina Gasset, Realtors® Wellington Florida Luxury Homes (International Properties and Investments, Inc.)

Dan,

Great post! I'm just glad you didn't say your wife made you drive back to tell him to make a 180 and get on the other ramp! I can only hear my mother telling my father to help that guy out!!! Kudos!

Karen Monsour, Realtor®, Fort Lauderdale, FL

09/16/2007 06:17 PM

by Karen Monsour,REALTOR® Broward,Palm Beach,Miami/Dade! 954-464-4194 anytime! (EXIT Team Realty)

Dan - this was the perfect post for me today - I am ending my day on this one! You are truly a positive lift for all souls :-) - thanks

09/16/2007 11:26 PM

by Clearwater Real Estate Clearwater Beach Condos & Homes for Sale- Cyndee Haydon (Belloise Realty)

I've meet many people in my life that were always spinning in circles and I really don't think they knew which direction to go at any time in their lives. Always out of a job, relationship, what ever, just always seemed to be something. Sometimes you just want to get behind them hold their shoulders and point them in the right direction and hope they can walk a straight line!

09/17/2007 12:17 AM

by Todd Clark (Realtor), GRI (Washington Co, Beaverton Oregon) (Kastings & Associates, Beaverton Oregon Real Estate)

It sure gets frustrating going around and around the mountain! Isn't it great to climb up to the top and look below? These certainly are pivotal moments!

09/17/2007 06:21 AM

by Diane Velikis Luzerne County Real Estate (Coldwell & Banker Busch Real Estate)

If that bum can figure out the right way to get to Georgia and can scrape up some down-payment money for a house, have him call me!

09/17/2007 07:39 AM

by Al Maxwell - Real Estate Agent - (Coldwell Banker)

That was a great analogy! I know I'm headed in the right direction!! Have a great day!

09/17/2007 09:04 AM

by Ronald Gillis, CNSA Southwest Florida Notaries, Port Charlotte, 941-7-NOTARY (Southwest Florida Notaries (Mortgage Notary Signing Agent))

Have a great day. I asked myself this question yesterday when planning my week. What direction do you really want to take your business keep focused on where you want to go and you will make it there. I love your post. To the point.

09/17/2007 10:12 AM

by Rebecca Savitski NC Real Estate Listings (NC List for Less Realty Incorporated)

09/17/2007 10:12 AM

by Rebecca Savitski NC Real Estate Listings (NC List for Less Realty Incorporated)

Very nice analogy. We also need to make sure that we know where we want to go! That'll help get those directions in order!

09/17/2007 09:41 PM

by Luba Muzichenko, San Francisco REALTOR® (Zephyr Real Estate)

Dan, you could not be more right. For years I followed the big MORTGAGE companies thinking that they were the ones to get me to the promise land until I figured out that it is not te size of the company that matters.

09/17/2007 11:10 PM

by Danny Thornton (Home America Mortgage, INC.)

Dan, terrific title, and short, simple and clear message about our need to think from time to time about what we're doing and where we're going. Very cool.

09/18/2007 12:15 PM

by Gary Bolen (CRS) Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information (Dickson Realty - South Lake Tahoe)

It's good to occasionally step back and examine where your life is headed.

09/18/2007 04:16 PM

by Roy Kotz (NPDodge)

If only we paid attention to the signs it might not take us so long to get there. Thanks for the post.

09/19/2007 09:05 AM

by Christina Bennani (RE/MAX Colonial)

Great post, Dan! That is definitely an extreme of heading the wrong way. I think everyone here at Active rain is heading in the right direction. The more you hang out here and read, the more you learn about both real estate and personal improvement.

09/19/2007 10:38 AM

by Austin Referral Realty

Timely and well written post indeed. I just discovered myself I was going the wrong way. I have found the right on ramp! I should have been paying closer attention to the signs. Slow, painful, expensive lessons. Great news, I won't have to learn them again! Now into 2nd week and gaining ground at light speed. Thanks for sharing the story.

09/20/2007 12:08 AM

by Teresa Granado-Staging-Redesign-Fontana,CA. (Granado Design)

Love the post! It is these basic principals that are often the most life changing and also, easiest to apply.

09/21/2007 10:02 AM

by Marina Del Rey Real Estate - Troy Heffner - Marina Del Rey, Venice Beach (Keller Williams Realty - Marina Del Rey, CA)

Great post - thank you for sharing it with the Active Rain community.

Keep'em coming!

09/22/2007 12:53 PM

by Orlando Homes Armando Rodriguez Real Estate & Mortgage Broker-GRI (QUEST REALTY SERVICES)

Figuring out where we want to go, and then creating a map are pretty important... and most never do either.

09/22/2007 01:24 PM

by Lane Bailey - REALTOR & Car Guy (Diamond Dwellings Realty)

Sometimes we keep going because it's comfortable to keep doing what we've always done. Think how often people look back and are so glad that they were fired, or divorced, or whatever. Tom Peters said that the biggest obstacle to being Great is being Good. If you're going in the right direction, keep going. If you're not - then turn around.

09/24/2007 07:47 PM

by Sharon Simms St Pete Florida CRS CIPS CLHMS (RE/MAX Metro)

Sometimes we get confused -- sometimes we don't have those to lead the way -- It takes some effort to find one's purpose and direction in life! I think I have been on the right path for a while now, but there were some detours along the way!

09/25/2007 09:37 AM

by Joan Whitebook, ABR, e-Pro, CEBA (Buyer's Option Realty Services)

Great Post - It made me pause and make sure I'm still going in the right direction.

10/21/2007 12:08 PM

by Michelle Rottach St Charles county MO Real Estate (RE/MAX Stars)

Michelle - Thanks for your comment. I went to your blog and it was empty. Hey, let's get blogging.

10/21/2007 03:38 PM

by Bradenton Florida Real Estate - Dan Forbes (Sarasota Metro Properties)

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