With a twist on the proverbial Aesop fable of the race between the turtle and the hare, I'd like to reflect on why I identify more with the turtle. It's not always about winning the race. Sometimes staying calm and deflecting the arrows of angst and frustration are necessary for survival.
As a REALTOR. Some days, I wish I could run at lightning speed to knock off most of my daily "to-do" list. Yet, by standing still for a few moments, I take inventory of where I'm going and how I'm going to get there. Occasionally, I catch myself focusing on more trivial items, filling my time or veering off the key goals and objectives that I have set. At the end of the day, I wonder where all the time has gone and why I'm so frenzied.
Now to the point of why I'd rather be a turtle. We all know that turtles plod along, slow and steady, until they reach their pre-planned destinations. When encountering obstacles in their path, turtles tend to change course ever so slowly until finding an alternate path. When harried or pushed, turtles don't seem to notice. Again, they continue moving at a "snail's pace" without skipping a beat.
Turtles have really hard shells! Being very sensitive, I continue to struggle with vulnerability when it comes to flat-out rejections by clients, prickly transactions, and disappointing negotiations. When fatigue takes its toll, I am especially susceptible to falling prey to whining or overreacting.
Pivotal experiences as a professional REALTOR have taught me that rushing around, veering off course, or being overconfident about winning "the race" can be counter productive. To tell the truth, my natural instinct is to do all of the above so I need to remind myself constantly about the need to SLOW DOWN, TAKE A BREATH, HAVE A STRONG CONSTITUTION, and REMAIN TRUE TO MY MISSION.
I don't think that turtles look around to scout out the competition. Nor do I think that they are focused on winning. In my mind, the most successful turtles possess consummate determination to keep on going no matter what.
The next time you feel harried (excuse the pun) or frenetic, remember the valiant turtle- hard shell and all. In other words, try not to be bogged down by the petty annoyances that are sure to arise when dealing with people and entities in real estate transactions. Instead, keep on persevering, moving slowly but steadily, and never mind who might be faster in the next lane. Be true to yourself and you'll never lose!
Comments(1)