Job Posting: No Day Off, No Vacations, Apply Within (part 1)
I wonder how many people would apply for that job? Guess what? Several thousand do ever month in The Real Estate Industry. They jump into real estate for the “freedom” and the lack of a financial ceiling (did they know there’s no financial floor either)? They get to be their own boss, work flexible hours and oh by the way; they “love people & houses”! Ah, then reality hits like the mirror of an actor before hair & makeup. You’re at the whim of your clients’ behavior and schedules…or so it seems.
Debate Me
Agents fight so hard to defend their 24/7, no boundaries bad habits. They think it’s a badge of honor to “work so hard” or “always be there to answer there phone” for their clients. I’m not sure if it’s lack of a personal life, lack of training or they just have not had it catch up to them yet in health, relationships or spirit? I’m often told what I “preach” is not possible; yet I’ve lived it for over 10 years of my 17 year career. It took a failed marriage to wake me up and a great second marriage to change my habits.
The Master
Jim Rohn reminded us “it’s not a Hershey Bar a day; it’s an apple a day”. But see most people can’t see the harm in the first piece of candy, it had no ill affects. They can’t even seem the harm in the 25th one. But, eat enough over time; the silent killer comes to snatch your teeth, your health, your waistline and much more. It doesn’t happen over night, it happens over time, almost undetectable in the early years and then almost unstoppable later as it’s become a habit…a bad habit.
The Silent Killer of Your Time
Our time off works the same way; when you skip a day off here, you bring a laptop on a vacation there and suddenly poof! 10 years have gone by, your family is annoyed with you and distant, stress and edginess is what you are known for and you can’t understand why you are so tired all the time, unhealthy or even lonely? Why is your spouse planning things without you and your kids are indifferent to whether you are home or not? Maybe because even when you ARE there, you’re not present?
Recovering Chaos Agent
My business ran me in 1999-2000, my clients took advantage of this (as they do), my first wife left me and I had no joy left. I had ruined my days off and our vacations by “just checking in real quick”; only to suddenly have my mood go bad or panicked over micromanaging, everyone around me is affected and days ruined. Now I’m thinking “I’m a bad husband and dad for ruining a vacation and in that moment I’m a bad Realtor and leader, because I’m trying to run my business from a hotel in a distracted frame of mind”.
Too High A Price
It was during the 2000-02 years, as I was going through my divorce, I decided to make drastic changes. No longer would I work all hours, no longer would I work 7 days with no day off to recharge and no longer would I take my clients and the stress of work to Hawaii or camping or to Europe with me.
This will cost me a client here & there, a client too selfish to let me have a life with my family. I’m OK with that! That’s the cost of goals & boundaries. I will not be thinking of the clients that left me on my death bed, rather I imagine I’ll be swimming in the memories I created with my loved ones & friends. I don’t want that pool to be a shallow one, so I need to go to “work” on filling my memory pool with this one precious life I’ve been given.
Here's Part 2:
Job Posting:No Day Off, No Vacation, Apply Within (part 2)
Image courtesy of [Stuart Miles] at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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