(Before I get going, I must give credit for the wording of the title to my pastor Aaron Lucas. The title stuck in my head, but the ideas here come from me as a probation officer, as a basketball coach, and now…as a Realtor.
Also, this is reposted from my Real Estate blog.)
It Begins with a Great Concept…
- “I’m going to exercise more and get healthy…”
- “I’m going to go back to school and get my degree, certification or diploma…”
- “I’m going to get better organized…”
- “I’m going to stop smoking…”
These are all great goals to accomplish, but while we’re only talking about them they are simply “concepts”. They’re a nice idea to think about. There would be great satisfaction if we could actually accomplish these goals…but something incredibly important is still missing.
…It Must Become a Commitment
- Epic roadtrips always begin as an idea…but at some point, a person has to open their Google Map app and figure out the best route (which isn’t always the fastest route).
- For all you Boomers like myself…there were the lyrics: “Standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona…” If not for a commitment to write the music, where would our generation be without such a classic rock song?
- Health transformations begin with someone longingly picturing where they want to be in the midst of their discouraging reality.
Action is required. A plan must be made and there must be a commitment to follow through with the plan. Tweak the plan as you need in order to make it effective, but there needs to be a commitment to see the process through. Otherwise, in January 2020 our lives are like the movie Groundhog Day and we relive the same process over again.
Setting the Framework for This Post
Let me back-peddle for a moment before I go any further.
If asked what makes me different as a Realtor, I would respond that I am a coach first and foremost. I am honest and direct with people because the bottom line is this: I want to see people “win!” At the end of the day, it’s not about the money, it’s about feeling the satisfaction of seeing people climb to higher heights and accomplish dreams that required them to discover qualities within themselves that will propel them forward into greater accomplishments.
It’s my hope you hear passion within my words as I challenge people to expand their vision for what life can look like for them, and then take inventory of the resources they have at their fingertips to begin a journey of self-discover. Our lives are like a blank canvas and we have the brush and the colors to determine what our painting will look like…we haven’t been handed a paint-by-numbers set that requires us to stay within the lines.
Yeah, this is about real estate, but it’s about so much more; it’s about squeezing more out of life. It probably doesn’t help that I’m jamming out to Tom Petty’s “Running Down a Dream” as I write this…I’ll try to pump the brakes here.
More Than a New Year’s Resolution is Required
I have no doubt that many have gone through the ritual of discussing New Year Resolutions with the turn of the calendar to 2019…even if the talk was more on a cynical or sarcastic nature. Personally, I tend to believe this happens more as we get older because we have so many more opportunities to reflect on the dreams we’ve quit on.
I took note of the phrase “New Year; New Me” phrase being spoken often around me and on social media, and it often felt like the words were said in a mocking way…like, “Hey, it’s that time of year again to talk about all the things I want but will never follow through with…” Even now my tone is coming across rather sarcastic, but I offer challenges to you if you’ll read on.
A Commitment to Change is Required
Truth be told, there is a commitment required to accomplish those things that are on our heart. That’s why they are dear to us…to lose weight, become healthier, become more financially stable, start our own business, etc. etc. These are not simple destinations we can arrive at by traveling the same path we’ve been used to. These are dreams (small, medium, or large dreams) that require a change in our daily routine…a change in our thinking patterns.
I have a sign in my probation office that says:
“If somethings GOING to change; somethings GOT to change”.
For years, there were concepts I desired…but I lacked the commitment required to make the concept a reality. I’m getting it now…change is slow, but it begins with a vision, and a commitment to take that first step. But it also requires that same commitment to take steps two, three and four without quitting on the process.
A + B = C
Several weeks ago, I had a gentleman in my office telling me he didn’t want to go to jail, yet he wavered in his conviction to get clean and sober from drug use and attend his treatment groups that the Court ordered. He wanted “C” which was not going to jail…but he was not embracing the full equation. I challenged him to see more than the concept of remaining free…he needs to take the tough steps required to achieve the “C” in his life…being free from incarceration.
I question bringing my probation experience into a real estate blog but it’s hard to separate who I am from what I do…it is what makes me different.
There’s no short-cut to accomplishing something dear to your heart. If there was a short-cut, chances are it wouldn’t be dear to you.
- You want to get healthy? Follow-through. Consult your doctor about any limitations you need to follow…set small steps and follow through. Practice succeeding on those small steps because it can become addicting to succeed. Map out a course…and follow it.
- You want to get your degree (diploma or certification)? Contact the school…set an appointment with a career counselor…talk with financial aid staff about any options out there you’re not aware of…consider starting with one or two classes.
- You want to become a home buyer…ehhh…just call me! (Insert smily emoji)
Seriously (and I was serious about that last comment but this is about so much more than real estate), take your “Concept” into the next phase. Figure out the steps and commit to taking the step in front of you.
And something so incredibly important through this process: surround yourself with people who will challenge you to believe in yourself. Excuse-making can drain us of the power required to bust through the barriers attempting to contain us.
Okay, I’ll add one more piece about real estate here:
I’d Love to Walk With You
I’d love the opportunity to walk with you as a Realtor and help you map out a course to home ownership. The journey may take you through the process of repairing credit, improving your debt-to-income ratio, connecting with a great lender (and I know a few awesome individuals you could trust), but begin to take the steps necessary to improve your circumstances in 2019.
I’m taking “concepts” and turning them into “commitments” in my own life…we’ve all got things that we want to improve in our lives, we’re all pulling in the same direction. Give me a call, message me, text me, google me, instagram me…pinterest me(?) and lets talk.
From COFFEE to CLOSING, I’d love to walk with you in this journey.
If you got to the end of this…I appreciate your commitment to hear my thoughts.