I had an interesting meeting with an agent this week - one that has been a reoccurring theme over the last 18 months with agents across the nation. We started the meeting under the auspice of setting goals, markers and expectations for the next 90 days. We ended with tears, hugs and a new lease on life.
After 20+ years in the business, a full pipeline and momentum shifting in her favor the dark cloud that has been hanging over her business was starting to clear. Despite the rays of sunshine a haunting depression and frustration was finding its way in each morning. Bitterness was building and the excitement of real estate was waning. She struggled with tears as she admitted to a growing distain for both houses and people. She was faced with burn-out and wasn't sure how she got here or even if she wanted to continue in this crazy business.
We talked at length about finding purpose, and the importance of having the significant as fuel for our success. We talked about the realities and destructive road that lies at the end of a life that is being lived out of integrity. We can only fake it for so long, and while I am a believer in positive thinking, there are times in which we need a radical adjustment to our perspective.
I have discovered that integrity can be defined as morality (not doing wrong) plus character (doing what is right). You cannot do what is right when you are doing what is wrong. When we start to make choices from the place of what I need to do versus what I want to do, our lives (and businesses) take a very dangerous turn. She is moral and good, but neglecting doing the right things because of demanding clients and lack of good boundaries.
She is working on finding herself by exploring some places she can give back. We will re-visit whether she wants to leave her real estate business or not in a few months, until then, she is going find something that she can throw her heart in, because it is the right thing to do and it is the quickest way to avoid burn-out. Investing in the significant and being in integrity is the quickest way to give a shot of vitality and life to a business that is stagnant and struggling.
When struggling, down or feeling a bit defeated, recognize that our fulfillment must come from something outside of the real estate business - our lives and business depend on it.
Carpe diem,
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