Lessons From a Frog: Taking a leap into the life you want

There’s a parable that says if you drop a frog into a pot of boiling water, he’ll jump right out, but if you put him in cold water and heat it slowly, he won’t jump because he doesn’t perceive the danger. Significant changes can occur around us, and not perceiving the danger, we don’t react quickly and suddenly we’re up to our necks in a boiling pot of debt and stress.

We, as women, know this all too well. Our parents are fine one day and seemingly the very next, they need care. Our colleague was laid off and now we’re doing her job too. We turn 30 then 40 then 50 in the blink of an eye.

One of my favorite songs says “we’ve got two lives; one we’re given and the other one we make”. The temperature is rising on the life we were given but it’s not too late to jump into the life we make.

So what kind of life will you make? Regardless, you’ll have to finance it by either winning the lottery or working at a career that’s in balance with your new path. If you started to list the elements of your ideal career, likely “flexibility” would be near the top. And passion. How about a good income? Equally important – how will you finance your new life if you have to or choose to stop working for a time?

One option is becoming self-employed. Have you ever thought of owning a real estate brokerage?

Choosing the right brokerage and business model can make or break your real estate career. I could write for pages about all the things that make EXIT Realty different – the training, the EXIT Formula, the technology - but there is one element in particular you should consider to ensure the quality of your new life; the opportunity to earn an income when you’re not working.

With all due respect to Steve Morris, the genius behind the EXIT Formula, I wouldn’t call the 7% “retirement” benefits retirement benefits; I’d call them contingency benefits. Peace of mind when you take time off to raise your family, care for your parents or go on that long overdue safari. You don’t have to wait until you’re 65.

So as you become aware of the water heating up and you start to look for a way out of the pot, be sure to build in a contingency plan to finance your new life. You’ve been living the life you were given – now live the one you make.