Heads up, I am the graceful giraffe. The seven skills to master business and life according to Stefan Swanepoel author of the new book, “Surviving Your Serengeti, ” is an interesting read. The author takes the reader on a safari of self-discovery by using the mystique of Africa, the magic of wild animals and the epic saga of the Serengeti migration.
Like many other members, I decided to participate in the Active Rain challenge: 1) Download and read the first two chapters of “Surviving Your Serengeti”, and 2) take the quiz, What Animal Are You?
How do I know what my survival skill is? After reading the first two chapters of “Surviving Your Serengeti”, I took the quiz and found out my survival skill was not the strategic lion, the wildebeast, the enterprising crocodile, the enduring wildebeest, the risk-taking mongoose, the communicating elephant, the efficient cheetah, but the graceful giraffe.
Grace, as the author states, is a disposition that requires compassion toward others and the desire to extend goodwill. It incorporates the exercise of love and kindness—most importantly, to those who may not deserve it. Grace is as crucial in business as it is in life.
While reading about my survival skill, I immediately thought about my mother and what I learned from her. My mother was definitely a giraffe. She had all the elegance and charm and always had a positive attitude. She raised 11 children and provided so much compassion and love for each child. I saw how my mother interacted with not only our family, but the people in our community. Her death at the early age of 53 years, left me broken. But, I never forgot what she taught me. My mother always put others first…family, friends and community. Today, I like to think that I am like my mother…a Graceful Giraffe.
I do believe grace can open up a richer and more fulfilling life in our job or in personal matters. This survival skill helped me climb the ladder in my job with the government where I worked for 35 years. Now in the real estate business, I continue to master the skills of the giraffe by helping buyers and sellers and putting their needs first to sale their house or find their dream house. There is so much satisfaction when a transaction comes together and I see happy faces smiling back at me.
These past few years has been a struggle to survive in real estate. A lot of agents quit the business, businesses have closed, buyers unable to get a loan, and not to mention the foreclosures; ... these struggles continue and we need to have a business strategy in place and to keep ALL our skills sharp to provide the best possible assistance to buyers and seller, and to keep our businesses from going under.
As the author states about the giraffe, "Grace represents style, finesse, kindness, and above all, doing the right thing - a quality that will always advance our purpose in life, no matter what it is."
I believe we all have the skills of all seven animals and we use them every day in business and life. Yet, we have one skill that is stronger than the others....for me I'd have to say that as the graceful giraffe, I am "heads up" and will continue striving to be the best I can with the skills of a giraffe.
Want to know what animal your are.... read “Surviving Your Serengeti” by Stefan Swanepoel, then take the quiz .... you may be surprised.
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Rebecca Gaujot, REALTOR® | Coldwell Banker | Stuart and Watts Real Estate |
Thinking of buying or selling a house, call me...Your WV Real Estate Connection for Lewisburg, WV/Greenbrier County. Contact me by phone at (304) 529-2133, by Email or visit my website. Licensed in West Virginia and Virginia.
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