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Being Proactive When The World Wants You To Be Reactive

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty 0575737

Control EnvironmentWith the continual beating we get with the bad news of late and probably into the near future by the media, real estate professionals and others in life might think all they can do is react. Our thinking needs us

Being Proactive When The World Wants You To Be Reactive.

By being proactive, it shows you have the ability to control your environment rather than have it control you. It is pure and simple, self-determination. It is choice. You, lest you forget, have the power to decide what you do with the stimulus, conditions, and circumstances around you.

This opposite way of thinking from what the "world" wants you to do is very invigorating. Since somehow naturally I specialize in being opposite, this has come easy for me. Here's some examples. Think about education. You plan to take a course. You sign up for it. You attend classes. You complete it. Wow. The Dow Jones plummeting 500 points today had no effect on that. Your phone at your office with clients ready to buy/sell/invest with you on houses is not ringing. Those Staging appointments are not ringing your phone. Answer. Outbound calls. Make it happen. Go get the business. Proactiveness is "re-shaping" your world and not accepting the status quo. It is the "opposite" of being reactive.

The secret here is to think that you are "acting in advance" to cause an effect. Why do so many not have this technique down? First, they are not thinking about it. Second, it does require energy. If you have been getting sleep like I have recommended before and eating right no excuse there.

Take care of your problems when they are small. Head things off at the pass. Preventive maintenance is important for your car, your relationships, your business and your life. Be the force in the world that makes things happen.

One other secret for you:

The most successful people in the world ARE the ones that are making things happen. YOU are one of them.

Gary McNinch
Better Properties Real Estate - Renton, WA
Broker, Renton WA Real Estate

Right on Gary,     I held a brokers open today.  At least half of the agents that came in...  were down in the mouth.  Then the rest of us were talking about our business plans for next year, our new listings and buyers, great new training. When the market will turn and how we will be set.     The choice is and always has been ours.

List and Sell (no whining, just Push Forward Proactively)    Gary @ RentonHomeFinder.com

Dec 10, 2008 04:44 PM
Blatt + Cutino
Coldwell Banker Realty - Monterey, CA
Broker-Associate 831/206-8070*Call today*

Thanks for the very encouraging post. I have bookmarked it to read again.

Dec 10, 2008 11:38 PM
Renée Donohue~Home Photography
Savvy Home Pix - Allegan, MI
Western Michigan Real Estate Photographer

Your title is so good on this one Gary!  I think you outdid yourself, bueno!

Dec 10, 2008 11:52 PM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection

Gary Now more than ever we need to be proactive, be more in control of our environment.  You are so right this is a characteristic of successful people.

Congratulations on the feature, well deserved.

Dec 11, 2008 01:40 AM
Michelle Mihalko
Mariner Realty - Conroe, TX

Gary,  Good article!  Being proactive in the world today is not the norm.  Anybody can do the norm and do what the world wants you to do.  Getting outside the box will set us apart from others.  It is always "If it is to be it is up to me".  Thanks for the reinforcement.

Dec 11, 2008 05:35 AM
Lisa Hill
Florida Property Experts - Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Beach Real Estate

Well done. The irony is, a long time ago, I used to date a guy who would push my buttons just so he could then say "Act, don't react". It was true, but OMG! He was so annoying! LOL!

Dec 11, 2008 05:50 AM
Pam Pugmire
Silvercreek Realty Group - Meridian, ID
Meridian Idaho Real Estate

Hey Gary!  Congratulations on being featured....again!  Boy, you hit the nail on the head with this one!  The market is what it is.....all we can do is adjust and make something happen! 

Dec 11, 2008 07:53 AM
Tom Plant
WINEormous.com - Murrieta, CA

Gary - Yet another gem. I'm reading a book called Life's Missing Instruction Manual, recommended by Jo-Anne Smith in a recent post. It's right up your alley!

Dec 11, 2008 09:21 AM
LS Rogers Realty
LS Rogers Realty - Richardson, TX

Making things happen is where it's at. The media will never change so keeping positive and constantly moving forward will get and keep you in the game.

Dec 11, 2008 03:22 PM
Renae Bolton
Marketing 4 Realtors - Garfield Heights, OH
I'm your Professional Real Estate Marketing VA!

That works for me.  We need to decide every day, every week, every month, every year to MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN in our lives.  Whether it be business or personal.  Otherwise, we'll be stalled and exactly where the rest of the world wants us to be - doing absolutely nothing!

~Renae

Dec 12, 2008 12:40 PM
Kathy Toth
Ann Arbor Market Center Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts - Kathy Toth Team

Great topic! I always love to be told that it's ok for me to make waves, which is what you're saying.  Don't just splash, make huge waves!

~Kathy

Dec 12, 2008 01:30 PM
Anna Ryan
Keller Williams Realty - Simpsonville, SC

I love this! It's all about the shift...

Anna

Dec 12, 2008 01:51 PM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

It is so important, especially these days to be proactive and not just reactive.  I have been working hard the last few months to make business happen, and, funny thing, now it is.

Dec 12, 2008 03:31 PM
geri wehry
RE/MAX Select R.E. - Covington, WA
your agent for life

Gary,

As always thanks!  You are always upbeat and positive, and we need that more now than ever.  I appreciate the time you take to share your thoughts!!  Have a wonderful day!  ...geri

Dec 13, 2008 04:22 AM
Michelle Minch
Moving Mountains Design Home Staging, Pasadena, CA - Los Angeles, CA
Home Staging Los Angeles and Orange County, CA

Gary: Thank you for your kind words of inspiration. My mother always said "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". It was a lesson well learned. When work slows down, I sit at my desk and work at discovering new ways to get information about my company into the hands of those who would benefit from my staging services. And because of this, November and December 2008 have been my best months ever! Houses are still being put on the market, houses are still selling, buyers are buying, even if it is not in as great numbers as before. Somebody is getting that business, and I aim to get a portion of it.

Dec 13, 2008 11:26 AM
Monica Walters
Weichert, Realtors - Marlboro, NJ

Gary - beautiful post... I love the last line. Very true, and worth keeping in the forefront of our mind.

Dec 14, 2008 04:13 PM
Diane Aurit
LKN Realty, LLC - Mooresville, NC
Lake Norman Real Estate

Gary, I always love reading your posts and this is no exception!  For me, this time, despite the down market, I have to be busier than ever.  I try to focus on opportunites, like education, social networking, blogging...and I am selling real estate too!  There is no time like today to set goals and think outside the box!

Dec 15, 2008 12:25 AM
Kathy Kooyman
Home Realty - Pella, IA

This reminds me of a negative conversation I had with my brother about the economy last night, I asked him if his glass was half empty or half full.  I would like to state that I am on the half full side of the glass.  On top of that the family joke about me is that I don't like being told what to do.  This whole negative economy thing has me on a rant, it gives me the energy to work harder just to prove them wrong.  Sounds like a heading for another post.

Dec 15, 2008 02:13 AM
Kathy Kooyman
Home Realty - Pella, IA

This reminds me of a negative conversation I had with my brother about the economy last night, I asked him if his glass was half empty or half full.  I would like to state that I am on the half full side of the glass.  On top of that the family joke about me is that I don't like being told what to do.  This whole negative economy thing has me on a rant, it gives me the energy to work harder just to prove them wrong.  Sounds like a heading for another post.

Dec 15, 2008 02:13 AM
Dana Emerson
Keller Williams Realty Livingston Partners - Denham Springs, LA

Thank you for sharing and so true. 

Dec 15, 2008 02:30 PM