A number of years ago I was teaching a marriage enrichment weekend. During a break in one of the sessions an older woman came up to me and said the secret to her successful marriage started on day one.
She told her husband she had ten things she would never get mad at him
over. She never told him what they were, but whenever he did something that irritated her, she always said, "You should be glad that's one of the ten." They've had a long happy marriage. She may have been pulling my leg with her story, but I thought it was a great idea.
What about in business? What if you had 10 things that you decided you wouldn't get mad over? What would they be? Let me get you started.
1. I won't get mad when another agent is sharp with me.
Why? Well, let's face it. Some people are like sleeping with a porcupine. You can't get close to them without getting stuck, but not everyone is like that.
Some people might be struggling financially and it comes out in the stress of daily living. They may have a sick parent who has recently moved in with them, and the stress of being parents to two generations is starting to show up in their interaction with others. A spouse may have lost a job, and now the agent is trying to make up the difference in loss of income.
There are a lot of reasons someone may be sharp with you. Some people handle stress better than others. No matter what the reason, it's their issue, not yours. It only becomes your issue when you adopt it. Nobody can hurt your feelings without your permission. Make it one of the 10.
2. I won't get mad when a deal falls apart at the last minute.
Things happen. A deal collapsing at the last minute might have been a divine move of God. A family buying a house that was going to strap them financially could ultimately destroy a marriage. It could wreck relationships with their kids because of the struggle to it keep up. There might have a pending job loss on the horizon that they are unaware is going to happen. Things happen. Sometimes, it's nobody's fault. Things just happen.
I had a few fall apart within 2 days of closing in 2016. It always surprised me, but I can't depend on one closing to keep me going. I need to stay focused on the next sale, the next buyer/seller, the next home inspection, etc.
I received some good advice early in my real estate career. A friend said, "Don't spend your commission before you receive the check." I never consider the deal done until the money is in the bank.
3. I won't get mad when a client doesn't show up for
an appointment.
They may have had an accident. They may have forgotten. They may have lost your phone number and something came up. They may have had car trouble. Second chances can also mean good sales. Some people will just blow you off, but not everyone.
Of course, it's irritating. It is especially frustrating when you're busy. I just had this happen on a rural showing. It was 30 minutes to the property and 30 minutes back. Rather than fume the whole time and ruin my day, I used the time to catch up phone calls. Was I happy about? Not really, but I was happy I was able to get calls complete unimpeded.
4. I won't get mad when I get desk duty at the office.
At the desk you are the face of your company. You're the first contact for incoming calls. That means more clients, which means more sales and that means more money. It might seem a little demeaning or even like punishment at the time, but it might be the beginning of a wonderful relationship with a buyer/seller and all the referrals they can muster.
So, you see where I'm going with this. What would be on your list of 10? They might just make your job more enjoyable. They might reduce your stress, and they might even cause you to become a top producer in your market.
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