Are We Ever Too Old for Gold Stars?
Do you remember the gold star chart hanging on the refrigerator? Eat your vegetables. Gold star. Use the potty. Gold star. Be good in the grocery store. Maybe you even earned a lollipop. Sit quietly through dinner at a restaurant. There might be an extra scoop of ice cream waiting for you.
I don't think the gold stars ever disappeared. They just changed. In school, we worked for good grades, perfect attendance, honor roll, trophies, ribbons, and being chosen for special activities. At work, there was Employee of the Month, sales contests, plaques, reserved parking spaces, and recognition in the company newsletter.
Then I entered real estate. My first week in the business I listed a house. The office celebrated with a huge banner congratulating me on my very first listing. Before the week was over, I had sold it too. Like most real estate offices back then, we had "the boards." One side listed new listings. The other side listed homes that had gone under contract.
I remember asking a question. "Where's the third board?" What third board? The one that shows who actually made it to settlement. I never did get an answer.
Over the years I've watched our industry create every imaginable form of recognition. Top Lister. Top Seller. Million-Dollar Club. President's Club. Reserved parking spaces. Newspaper recognition. Plaques. Trophies. Today we even have online badges, rankings, and points.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with recognition. We all appreciate hearing, "Well done."
The gold star should never become more important than the reason we earned it!
Successful agents I've known weren't chasing plaques. They were chasing solutions. They listened. They cared. They answered the phone. They solved problems. They stayed calm when transactions became difficult. They earned trust. The awards came afterward. Maybe that's true in every profession and every stage of life.
*Parents -remembered because they loved well.
*Teachers - remembered because they changed lives.
*Friends - remembered because they showed up when it mattered most.
None of those things come with a gold star. They are just a reminder that something worthwhile happened ... someone cared enough to do their very best. Maybe the gold stars got us started.
But they shouldn't be what keeps us going.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm still looking for that third board.
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