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Real Estate Lessons From High School Sports

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Coastal Properties BROK.995683208

                                                          

 

 About this time of year I start noticing the high school athletes. Pass any high school field and you will seem young folks suffering through two a days. That means twice a day (usually in the grueling heat) young adults are gearing up for the fall season.

 As a high school nerd about the only sport open was cross country/ track. In fact any kid who answered "yes" to playing dungeons and dragons was automatically banned from the football field.

So around this time each summer my fellow nerds and I would shuck our D&D capes and put on a pair of running shoes. Man the stares we got running through Lafayette, Louisiana in 100 degree heat! I didn't realize it then, but those were some of the best days of my life.

And the lessons from Cross Country apply well to real estate. Here are a few gems I picked up from the road.

1) In a race, NEVER LOOK BACK-- Watch any large cross country or track meet. The ones that turn around typically are toast. Always look ahead!

2) Pass The Person In Front of You--As opposed to what you ask, passing the person behind you? Perhaps the sun got to me! But this means focus on your NEAREST competitor. Don't aim for the bigwig, pass the fellow that beat you by two units last month. THEN move on.

3) This is Going To Hurt-- By my senior year I could vomit without breaking a stride. The fellow I replaced came up with a method of having a bowel movement on the course. Only freshman would pace behind him. In real estate we must realize what we do is hard work. Period.

4) Training Today Will Be Visible Three Weeks Down The Road--If I pushed the envelope during an interval workout, my muscles would recover/ lung capacity increase about three weeks down the road. Likewise, In our field hustle today and close escrow later (if only it were three weeks)!

5) To Be the Best Training Must BE Consistent-- Screw off in practice three days a week and Saturday's race results will stink. Who likes to get yelled out by the coach all the way home?? Do you know agents who prospect "every now and then"??

6) Learn From Your Mistakes-- Coach would let us mess up once, just don't do it again. That second same mistake got the runner an earful! I know agents who make the same mistake over and over. In fact with some I can predict what they will screw up.

 What Lessons did you learn from High School Sports/ band????

 

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Searching for a Top real estate agent in Destin Florida ? Need help selling your Emerald Cost home? Either way call Doug today!

Doug Rogers

Real Estate Agent 

RE/MAX Coastal Properties 

Destin Florida 32541

 

 

(318) 613-1994

 Equal opportunity housing. Doug Rogers is a licensed real estate professional in Florida and Louisiana. Each office independently owned and operated

 

 

 

Charles Edwards Bentonville
Coldwell Banker Harris McHaney & Faucette 479-253-3796 - Bentonville, AR
AR REALTOR, Bentonville Real Estate Agent and Broker

Doug, So true. The sports field is a great place to learn some of life's great lessons.

Jun 29, 2010 02:53 PM
Don Sabinske
Don Sabinske, Sabinske & Associates Inc. - Zimmerman, MN
Sabinske & Associates Inc.

Nice post.  I reblogged it.  Thanks for the work.  And this should be a great motivator. 

Jun 29, 2010 02:53 PM
Christine Bohn
RE/MAX Professionals - Gainesville, FL
The Bohn Team, Gainesville FL

Those are great lessons for life and business ! Great Inspiration for me tonight.

Jun 29, 2010 03:01 PM
Marilyn Boudreaux
Marilyn Boudreaux, Century 21 Bono Realty - Lake Charles, LA
Lake Charles LA Century 21 Realtor

Doug, I enjoyed your blog but I didn't play any high school sports or play in the band.  I was too busy trying to get noticed by the "in crowd" that I wasn't the brainiac which was a big wake up call once I got to college.  So the lesson I learned was don't goof off, you always have to pay attention, isnt that #5 in your list consistency?

Jun 29, 2010 03:48 PM
Don Spera
CR Property Group, LLC - East York, PA
Serving York and Adams County, PA

Doug, what a great way to show the relativity of sports vs our industry.  In high school sports I think the motivation was harder to be instilled in me, but it did prepare me well for the military as far as being disciplined and working together as a team to achieve the ultimate goal. The same goes again for this business.  We have to still rely on each other as all of us our an extension of one another.

Jun 29, 2010 05:29 PM
Mary Kay Hopkins
Mary Kay Hopkins, LLC e-PRO, GRI, CRS, CRB - Lake Charles, LA
e-PRO,GRI,CRS

Doug, great post and a great question.

My participation on the high school basketball team and being a sports enthusiast has taught me the importance of teamwork.  This has served me well in business.

TEAM = Together Everyone Accomplishes More.

Jun 30, 2010 05:36 AM
Bruce Hill
The Bruce Hill Group | Bruce Hill Coaching - Raleigh, NC
Real Estate Team Leader | Real Estate Coach

Doug, Fantastic post.  Pick a target (someone who is just a little better than you) and focus on passing it (them).

Jun 30, 2010 05:52 AM
James F. Chaney
Sorenson Realty, Inc. - Cape Coral, FL

Doug, Thanks for your post. I ran cross country and can relate, I however was not into D&D. High school sports or extracurricular activities does alot for an individual. Like you I believe the lessons learned are priceless. While I was a manager in the restaurant industry that is one thing I always looked for on a person application or during the interview. I knew that they could produce and wouldn't you know it 99% of the time it worked.

Again thanks for that jog down memory lane. Setting your sites on the next person is easier than taking down the leader.

 

Thanks and have a great day!!

Jun 30, 2010 05:53 AM
Lesley Wagstaff
Re/Max Results Realty in Vancouver, BC - Coquitlam, BC
For Real Estate and Mortgages
Nice Post. Really makes you look at things and realize with practice and persistance you can do it. Thanks for the reminder.
Jun 30, 2010 06:04 AM
J. Philip Faranda
Howard Hanna Rand Realty - Yorktown Heights, NY
Associate Broker / Office Manager

This is an excellent post. You should consider posting it to some groups.

I wrestled in high school, and having never participated in sports like little league or AYSO beforehand, it was a baptism by fire. I lost a lot my first 2 years. I was advised to quit by many people. The only problem: I couldn't do anything else! I was too small for football, too short for basketball and too slow for track, so the weight classes of wrestling suited me. I just stunk at it. Until I decided I would do what it took to win. My Junior year I won the league and my senior year was, well, special. Here's what I learned:

  • Never, ever give up. 
  • I am made of tougher stuff than I ever dreamed. 
That applies in real estate, and in life. It was among the most valuable experiences of my life. 

Jun 30, 2010 07:07 AM
Cheryl Ritchie
RE/MAX Leading Edge www.GoldenResults.com - Huntingtown, MD
Southern Maryland 301-980-7566

Clever analogy. Never quit seems to be the thing that has stuck with me.

Jun 30, 2010 08:36 AM
Michael Johnson
Carolina One Real Estate - Goose Creek, SC
Metro Charleston SC

Nice post Doug!  What I take with me from sports, high school and post high school intramural leagues, is that you can always do more than you think you are capable of doing.  We all need someone pushing us above what our mind tells us that we can do.

Jun 30, 2010 10:01 AM
John Howard
Century 21 LeMac Realty - Mountain Home, AR
GRI, Mountain Home, Arkansas 870-404-3614

Doug,  Great post!  So many successful salespeople were or are involved in sports of some kind it is easy to tie the two together!  Some of the curves I get in this business are tougher than the ones thrown in youth baseball though!  Have a great week!  Oh,  Just because they are tougher does not mean that i quit trying to hit them!

Jun 30, 2010 10:36 AM
Rob Lang
At Home Kansas - Shawnee, KS
Local Expert in NE Central Kansas Real Estate Home

This was a nice personal revelation and applicable truths.  I like posts like this one.

Jun 30, 2010 02:51 PM
Patricia Aulson
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOME SERVICES Verani Realty NH Real Estate - Exeter, NH
Realtor - Portsmouth NH Homes-Hampton NH Homes

Thanks for getting this out to us today.

Patricia

Jun 30, 2010 03:30 PM
John Novak
Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV
Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

"Pass the person in front of you" is great advice. Sometimes we get frazzled by the scope of a large project, but if we just take the first step and reach the first milestone, we'll build enough momentum to carry us through.

Jun 30, 2010 04:19 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Nice post, Doug!  I was a piccolo nerd in the marching band, and I probably learned more there than in any other class I took!

Jul 05, 2010 08:16 AM
Paul Gapski
Berkshire Hathaway / Prudential Ca Realty - El Cajon, CA
619-504-8999,#1 Resource SD Relo

yes the sports field you can learn a lot of lessons but u can also work it and get leads from parents and alumni

Jul 10, 2011 02:52 PM