When dealing with real estate, as with most things in life, things go wrong. Sometimes minor, sometimes major but one thing is certain, something will go wrong at some point. When this happens, humans have a tendency to default back to worst case scenarios. Then panic tends to rear its ugly head. Then emotion kicks in. Then there is not telling what happens next because a negative state consumes a person or at oftentimes at best sets a stage for continual worry. This is not a healthy place to be.
The problem is panic is not a strategy.
If there is one thing we have learned, it is the importance of staying calm, level headed and understand that life is filled with bumps in the road. Two people can ride in the same car and hit a speed bump. To one person, the speed bump may be just a bump. To some, it feels like a jolt. Same bump, same car, two different responses. Perspective is the key.
Real estate is no different. Two people can look at the same transaction the same way. One challenge, two people, two completely different experiences. One sees the ‘storm’ for what it is, just a passing storm. One sees their ‘life flashing before their eyes’ metaphorically speaking. One is calm. One panics.
The book the Obstacle is the Way discusses how events are just that. Events. Nothing more. Nothing less. The moments before emotion kicks in, you have a small window to decide what that event means. Choose wisely and you will see it for what it is. An event that can be learned from, grown from and ultimately empowering. Choose poorly and you already know the emotional roller coaster that ensues can be deceptively long and lead to much pain. The former leads to calm. The latter leads to panic more often than not. And panic is not a strategy.
So the next time, something happens simple consider that moment when someone gives you the news you weren’t expecting. Is it a gift or is it a problem? Choose the former and panic will not be your strategy moving forward.
In the words of George Ross…’Stop Fighting Life’.