Real Estate Blog - Eight Seconds or Eat Dirt

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Eight Seconds or Eat Dirt

Bull Rider In professions like those associated with the Real Estate industry, one committed to service of the customer, we should all strive to be the best.

DO YOU HAVE EIGHT SECONDS??

That's the standard to "qualify" to be the best. I'm talking bull riding pardner. The chute opens and out you go on "Texas Tornado" or "Wyoming Wonder" or "Big Boy". Hang on. Oh and by the way you can only hang on with "one" hand. Are you strapped in with the leather strap? Do you have your teeth clenched for the wild ride? The eight seconds? You must stay on the beast that long to be judged. If not, start over on another ride and by the way

EAT DIRT

Much in our professional development requires eating plenty of dirt. Practice, fail. Practice again, make a mistake. More dirt. Practice again, embarass yourself, lose a client, get yelled at. This dirt is turning into a meal I think.

But you know what? The best Cowboys (or Cowgirls), the best Realtors, Stagers, Loan Officers, Inspectors, Appraisers, have eaten plenty of dirt and got past the eight seconds to be the best at what they do. They get back up. They want to have another ride. Another go at it.

How about you? Do you like eating dirt? It goes pretty good with being a champion!!

Posted by Gary Woltal - Associate Broker REALTOR® Dallas Ft. Worth on 03/30/2008 10:32 PM

Comments (34)

professionalism eating dirt practice

Originally posted at: Gary Woltal's Blog: Eight Seconds or Eat Dirt

34 Comments on Eight Seconds or Eat Dirt

MAR

2008

I'm tired of dirt! Bring on the steak and potatoes!

Gary, are you trying to say something "special" about us inspectors by listing us twice?:)

Hmmm its not as much fun these days.........:-)

Gary -

Well being a farm kid from north eastern Washington State, we spent lots of times on horses and chasing cows. HOWEVER, only once in my life did I do something as silly as get on a bull. Too much beer for courage, plus I was in Canada with a buddy, third I was only 18, trying to impress a girl ... made it about 4.5 seconds, didn't get tromped on and lived to see another day. It did teach me to expand my horizons, try new stuff, get up and dust the dirt off, and smile.

List and Sell (Nothing can keep us down) Gary @ RentonHomeFinder

MAR

2008

I've eaten plenty of dirt and I expect I'll eat a lot more. If I wasn't OK with that, I'd have found another job long ago. A broker in our office calls a job "Just Over Broke" so I'll keep eating dirt if necessary to avoid going there again.

Well Gary, I got to do what I got to do if I want to become a champion, which I REALLY DO so go figure ...

Hope you had a great weekend !

Gary... great blog. Though I haven't had too much dirt... I have alway tried to see what kind of "dirt" makes things grow. Each of us offers a type of potting mix. It just depends upon the "plant" (staging) we are trying to grow. ;)

Kristal: I'll second that, but dirt gets us to those tasty morsels.

Charles: Thanks for your eagle eyes. That's why YOU are the inspector. I made the correction - long day, inspectors on my mind with some deals in the works.

Liz: Great photo. Enjoying getting tossed lately? : ) We all have those days!!

Gary: Wow, a REAL bull rider among us. 4.5 seconds is very good for a novice.

Susan: You have to have passion to eat dirt I agree.

Mariana: No one said this was easy. Hope you had a good weekend too.

Lori: Staging provides a special kind of dirt in the learning experience. One that makes the results very beautiful for the rest of us. Great thought about what you plant.

I imagine those 8 seconds feel like forever. Iv'e eaten plenty of dirt in my years. And some crow as well!!

Gary, well at least it only took you about "8 seconds":)

Carol: Now THAT'S funny. Eating crow. I know I am a master at the foot in mouth disease at least in my earlier years.

Charles: I can tell you are a man of precision. Someone should hire you as their inspector : ) You can use me as one of your best references.

Gary - I have eaten PLENTY of dirt!!! But, you know what? I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't eaten a little dirt along the way......Thanks for this post - you always have the best and I love reading you first thing in the morning!

Leesa: Ah, another voice of the experienced!! : )

Gary, There are so many great elements in dirt. Yes, I've eaten much dirt in the past and expect to have a few more spoons full before the week is over. I've developed a taste for it. :) Thanks for the fun post!

Hi Gary,
I am glad that all the dirt I have eaten does not have calories or I'd be a very huge woman!

I've certainly learned more from being on the ground than up in the saddle....it's tough to admit but easier to take that way ;-)

Gary...this is a very timely post for me cause this past month has been filthy!

Thanks for helping to keep it in perspective! ....

Yee Haa!! I like the analogy. Although I would never try to ride a bull, mechanical or otherwise, I will continue to ride out this real estate cycle.

Learning comes at the cost of experience. Dirt doesn't taste bad at all when washed down with the taste of victory.

We have hit the dirt many times - that's experience! Best part is: there's money in that dirt! :)

Dirt good!

Gary, I guess we've all had our share of some dirt here and there....certainly lessons learned as long as we remember we'll most likely have to eat it again one day.

Eating dirt seems to be an experience many of the good ones here have experienced on their way to being champions. Glad you made it through the eight seconds!

Rejection is a big part of this business so I have eaten dirt and I disliked it enough to eat it less and less - As I became stronger and stronger, I found myself listing more and now other agents are eating dirt! Yeehaw!

APR

2008

Hi Gary -- I just got my 8 seconds: My 8 Seconds of Fame on CBS National News This Morning

Carol: Glad you're staying up for the ride these days.

Brian: I saw your clip. You were good during your ride.

Eating dirt is no fun but often times necessary to succeed!

Gary,

Dirt has many Minerals and micro-nutrients needed to complete our daily diet and well being ! Great analogy.

Gary,

You write some of the best blogs on here, really enjoy them!

Hi Gary-

As my Texas dad would say "I bit the dust." Makes ya mad enough to give it another go!

Kathy

God made dirt so dirt don't hurt!

Patricia: The path to success includes spoonfuls of dirt.

Doug: Minerals build strong bodies : )

Cindy: Aw shucks... thanx

Kathy: Keep on, keeping on....

Shannon: Nothing wrong with gettin' dirty. An honest day's work.

Gary, I had one experience where I lost an eleven thousand dollar commission on a transaction to hold it together. I had another needy client (demanding, I might say) that I struggled with. That same afternoon, I asked myself (in the presence of my assistant), "What are they going to do, take my commission away?" It's all a matter of perspective.. I ate dirt that day & it gave me more confidence! Thanks again for your nice posts!

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