The housing market's current state is testing the mettle of seasoned and new real estate agents. In the beginning many agents were in denial, then came anger and despair for some. Others seized this time of adversity to call upon the best in them, in this worst market of modern times, to face the challenge head on. Others gave in to disappointment and longer for what was, instead of accepting what is. 
There is no denying it continues to be a wild roller coaster ride. The agents that ride it out will be rewarded for being resilient.
The way I see it the agent population separated into three camps:
The Wet Noodles: They crumpled and grew soft when tossed into the swirling hot water of difficult times. The market devoured them without a fight. They failed, or refused, to adapt. They moved on to greener pastures.
The Sideline Sitters: These agents moved from the playing field to the comfort of a stadium seat to wait out the current market state of affairs. They retreated to the sidelines and are waiting for a better time to re-claim their spot in the real estate arena. It is unlikely their slice of the real estate pie will wait for their return. Nature (and other agents) abhors a vacuum.
The Rubber Bands: These agents did not escape the market shift. They did reposition themselves. They called upon the resiliency, innovation, creativity and initiative needed to reinvent their business. As the market of old morphed into something new, they restructured their business to adapt and survive. It's that old Darwinian theory at work in modern times. Adapt or fold.
A favorite quote in Hemmingway's Farewell to Arms addresses overcoming adversity. "The world breaks every one of us and afterward many are stronger at the broken places."
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