Who doesn’t enjoy a robust reinforcement of positive thinking? Who wouldn’t want their glass to be half full? Who took the last donut in the staff lunchroom and didn’t throw out the empty box?
So many motivational quotes floating around out there, so little linkage to the real estate business. I am going to try to shamelessly connect random quotes from the Internet, hope to make them apply to your daily business, and further hope you then approach your day with renewed vim and vinegar.
God help us all. Here we go!
“Life is 10 per cent what happens to you and 90 per cent trying to make sure the deal closes on time.” – Charles R. Swindoll (paraphrased)
“Never complain and never explain. Unless you’re at an ethics hearing, in which case your lawyer might be better served with advising you.” – Benjamin Disraeli (modified just a bit)
“If you can dream it, you should quit sitting at your desk and start trying to achieve it.” – Walt Disney (and some literary licence)
“Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may at least list a Canadian TV star’s home.” – W. Clement Stone (with a wee bit of curvature)
“You are never too old to set another goal, or host another open house!” – C.S. Lewis (and a helping hand)
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started with all the infernal paperwork required to activate your new listing.” – Mark Twain (and input from a friend he never met)
“You have to learn the rules of the game and then with any luck, you still won’t need to invoke your errors and omissions coverage.” – Albert Einstein (plus just a dash of my own theory of relativity)
“Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory, otherwise known as closing day.” – George S. Patton (General-ly sound advice!)
“Perseverance is failing 19 times and finally selling that overpriced listing on the 20th renewal.” – Julie Andrews (collecting that commission afterwards brings The Sound of Music to your family’s ears!)
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. By flailing to plane, you are planing to flail.” – Benjamin Franklin (and a line from a REM column I wrote years ago)
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into removing that clutter in the average living room, literally the first step to staging the home for sale!” – Tony Robbins (with whimsy, weally!)
“Never give up, for that is just the time and place that the tide will turn – on your waterfront property listing.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe (-ish)
“A goal is a dream with a deadline, on average about 90 days unless your clients choose to renew their listing.” – Napoleon Hill (motivated to sell!)
“Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward – but consider fixing that carpet before the next showing.” – Victor Kiam (a close shave, if you hope to avoid a lawsuit!)
“Well done is better than well said. Medium rare is better than overcooked.” – Benjamin Franklin (hey, who told Ben he could have two shots at this effort?)
Well, my work here is done. I hope that I’ve amended a few of your own favourite quotes to be far more relevant to the real estate business than the author may have originally intended.
You may hope that your own favourite quote was omitted in this effort.
Humour columnist and author Dan St. Yves was licensed with Royal LePage Kelowna for 11 years. Check out his website at danstyves.com.
