Listing…Listening Presentations
As an agent in the Fort Myers Real Estate Market I meet with tons of sellers. Sometimes I am competing for their listing with other agents. I often wonder why they choose me to sell their home. I know the obvious. I have experience, a great listing presentation, quality charts and graphs. I know the Lee County Real Estate market. But aren’t the other Real Estate Agents showing them similar presentations? Don’t they have access to the same MLS information? I wanted to think it was just because I was better looking that the sellers chose to go with me to sell their home…but I know that is not the case.
I asked one of my sellers recently after we had built quite a bit of raport why he went with me over the other agents he had spoken with. He told me it was because during the presentation I did more listening than I did presenting. I asked questions. I found out what their motivation for selling was. The seller was impressed that I included them in the process and tried to get to know them. He said that other agents just came in with a fancy presentation and told them how they are Super Agent, blah, blah, blah. I was the only one who really sat down with them to develop a plan to accomplish their goals.
Someone once told me that you can’t learn with your mouth open. Make sure you are doing at least as much listening as you are talking the next time you are on a listing appointment.
TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR NEIGHBORS SOLD THEIR HOUSE FOR GO TO: www.resuperstars.com
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Get Ready for Fourth of July- Gas Grill Info
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Outdoor Appliance Guide: Gas Grills
With models priced from $29 to $5,000 and up, outdoor gas grills offer convenience and ease-of-use to fit any budget. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Cape Coral's Red, White and Boom Entertainment Schedule Announced
The Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral proudly welcomes Universal Music Recording Artists Trailer Choir as the headlining act at RE/MAX Realty Team's Red, White and Boom.
Trailer Choir will take the stage at 8:00 p.m. as the feature act before the Heroes and Leaders American Tribute kicks off the spectacular fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.
Discovered in 2007 by superstar Toby Keith, Trailer Choir has been performing on his national tours for the past three years. He featured the group in his 2008 film Beer for My Horses, so Trailer Choir's "Off the Hillbilly Hook" video featured Toby and the movie's co-star Willie Nelson. Keith also co-produced their debut CD. In 2009, Trailer Choir exploded on the airwaves with the merry, rollicking "Rockin' the Beer Gut," a song that has sold more than a quarter of a million copies. "Last Man Standing" was used by ESPN and ABC in a national NASCAR promotion. In 2010, the filming of its jaunty "Rollin' Through the Sunshine" video became a feature story in Country Weekly.
"Red White & Boom proudly welcomes ROGER DEAN CHEVROLET OF CAPE CORAL as the Stage Sponsor," said Bob Knickman, Special Events Director for the Chamber. "We are happy to have the support of Cape Coral's only new car dealership. Also, special thanks to our radio sponsor Cat Country 107.1 for lining up our headlining act Trailer Choir."
Rounding out the entertainment schedule are local bands Retro Light (5:00 p.m.) and The Mixx (6:00 p.m.)
RE/MAX Realty Team's Red, White and Boom kicks off at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday July 4th.
The mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral is to promote and serve business and community. The main Welcome Center is located at 2051 Cape Coral Parkway E. For more information please call the Chamber at (239) 549-6900 or visit www.capecoralchamber.com
If you would like to search Cape Coral Florida properties like a Realtor® go to: www.resuperstars.com
www.jonesandcorealty.com
Trailer Choir will take the stage at 8:00 p.m. as the feature act before the Heroes and Leaders American Tribute kicks off the spectacular fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.
Discovered in 2007 by superstar Toby Keith, Trailer Choir has been performing on his national tours for the past three years. He featured the group in his 2008 film Beer for My Horses, so Trailer Choir's "Off the Hillbilly Hook" video featured Toby and the movie's co-star Willie Nelson. Keith also co-produced their debut CD. In 2009, Trailer Choir exploded on the airwaves with the merry, rollicking "Rockin' the Beer Gut," a song that has sold more than a quarter of a million copies. "Last Man Standing" was used by ESPN and ABC in a national NASCAR promotion. In 2010, the filming of its jaunty "Rollin' Through the Sunshine" video became a feature story in Country Weekly.
"Red White & Boom proudly welcomes ROGER DEAN CHEVROLET OF CAPE CORAL as the Stage Sponsor," said Bob Knickman, Special Events Director for the Chamber. "We are happy to have the support of Cape Coral's only new car dealership. Also, special thanks to our radio sponsor Cat Country 107.1 for lining up our headlining act Trailer Choir."
Rounding out the entertainment schedule are local bands Retro Light (5:00 p.m.) and The Mixx (6:00 p.m.)
RE/MAX Realty Team's Red, White and Boom kicks off at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday July 4th.
The mission of the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral is to promote and serve business and community. The main Welcome Center is located at 2051 Cape Coral Parkway E. For more information please call the Chamber at (239) 549-6900 or visit www.capecoralchamber.com
If you would like to search Cape Coral Florida properties like a Realtor® go to: www.resuperstars.com
www.jonesandcorealty.com
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Six Reasons to Reduce Your Home Price
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6 Reasons to Reduce Your Home Price
While you’d like to get the best price for your home, consider our six reasons to reduce your home price. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Improve Your Credit
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7 Tips for Improving Your Credit
Here’s how to clean up your credit so you get the least-expensive home loan possible. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Understanding Real Estate Representation
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Understanding Real Estate Representation
Whether you’re buying or selling, it’s important to choose representation that meets your needs in the transaction. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Save Youself the Aggrevation
I read a blog post by another Realtor the other day about Lookie Lou’s. She was asking how to deal with people who just like viewing homes for fun. Apparently a lot of agents have spent countless hours, gas, mileage on their cars, and a few lunches taking people around to see houses that they have no intention of buying.
I won’t show a house to anyone who doesn’t have proof of funds or a pre-approval letter. This is a rule of mine. It is mandatory. If a potential buyer is willing to give you their bank statement or go through the trouble of getting pre-approved then they are probably serious.
I also make them sign an Exclusive Buyers Agreement. I don’t want to waste my time showing people houses all day long for them to call on a sign the next day and buy a house directly from the listing agent. I want them to be committed to doing business with me.
Why do so many agents have such a hard time asking for these things? Are you afraid you are going to lose a deal? Who cares? If potential buyers aren’t willing to make a commitment to you for all your time, research, expertise, then you don’t need them anyway. As soon as you stop worrying about losing a deal I promise your business will increase. Instead of spending all day Saturday taking Lookie Lou’s on a tour you could be prospecting for some real buyers.
I encourage you to put your own personal policies in place to make sure you have a real buyer. Make these stipulations required. No exceptions. It will save you a ton of aggrevation.
www.jonesandcorealty.com
I won’t show a house to anyone who doesn’t have proof of funds or a pre-approval letter. This is a rule of mine. It is mandatory. If a potential buyer is willing to give you their bank statement or go through the trouble of getting pre-approved then they are probably serious.
I also make them sign an Exclusive Buyers Agreement. I don’t want to waste my time showing people houses all day long for them to call on a sign the next day and buy a house directly from the listing agent. I want them to be committed to doing business with me.
Why do so many agents have such a hard time asking for these things? Are you afraid you are going to lose a deal? Who cares? If potential buyers aren’t willing to make a commitment to you for all your time, research, expertise, then you don’t need them anyway. As soon as you stop worrying about losing a deal I promise your business will increase. Instead of spending all day Saturday taking Lookie Lou’s on a tour you could be prospecting for some real buyers.
I encourage you to put your own personal policies in place to make sure you have a real buyer. Make these stipulations required. No exceptions. It will save you a ton of aggrevation.
www.jonesandcorealty.com
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Keep Your Home Purchase on Track
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Keep Your Home Purchase on Track
You’ve found your dream home. Make sure missteps don’t prevent a successful closing. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
What Sells Homes?
What sells homes? Better yet...What sells anything? I was told since I was very young that something was only worth what someone was willing to pay for it. So when selling a home, the value of that home is only what someone is willing to pay for it.
Price sells homes. If you are in a gated community like many communities here in SW Florida then most of the homes are the same. There are very few differences between them. Sure you may have upgraded carpet or the nicer appliance package but for the most part they are the same.
The condition of the property is very important however I have found in most of our upscale gated communities here in the Ft. Myers area that most people take extremely good care of their properties. Staging your home properly can definitely add to the appeal when people walk through it. Staging a home properly will increase your chances of selling but ultimately it comes down to price.
If there are three very similar properties on the market in the same community the one with the smallest listing price will almost certainly sell first. If you are motivated to sell then you need to work with a Realtor and receive accurate information about the community and stay abreast of current pricing of competing properties within it.
Click here to see what your neighbors' homes sold for here in SW Florida!
Price sells homes. If you are in a gated community like many communities here in SW Florida then most of the homes are the same. There are very few differences between them. Sure you may have upgraded carpet or the nicer appliance package but for the most part they are the same.
The condition of the property is very important however I have found in most of our upscale gated communities here in the Ft. Myers area that most people take extremely good care of their properties. Staging your home properly can definitely add to the appeal when people walk through it. Staging a home properly will increase your chances of selling but ultimately it comes down to price.
If there are three very similar properties on the market in the same community the one with the smallest listing price will almost certainly sell first. If you are motivated to sell then you need to work with a Realtor and receive accurate information about the community and stay abreast of current pricing of competing properties within it.
Click here to see what your neighbors' homes sold for here in SW Florida!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Negotiate Your Best House Buy
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(New!)
Negotiate Your Best House Buy
Keep your emotions in check and your eyes on the goal, and you’ll pay less when purchasing a home. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Websites Suck!!
A year ago I attended a webinar called "Websites Suck, Squeeze Pages Rule." In developing our company website recently I was reminded of this information I learned. A typical real estate website consists of a bunch of information. We have information about our company, our associates, the local community, even our listings. What we lack however is a call to action.
There are thousands if not millions of real estate related websites that are all very similar. They have tons and tons of text. What they don't have is a compelling reason for a prospective customer to contact us or to enter their contact information. What good is it having tons of people looking at your site if you don't know who they are or how to contact them?
For those of you who don't know, a squeeze page is a website whose only goal is to get you to fill out a contact form in order to create a lead. You have all seen them, and most of you have probably filled one or two out in an effort to get the information you came to that site looking for. The squeeze page offers you something in return for entering your contact information thus creating a lead. Isn't that what we should be doing with our online marketing? Creating leads!
To do this you must have a compelling call to action! A couple examples would be:
Sign up here to receive a FREE Foreclosure List!
Search our MLS like a REALTOR!
These would entice a prospective customer to enter their information thus giving you a workable real estate lead. What other call to actions have you seen that really entice people to give you their information on your website?
Please share any really good results you have had with calls to action!
There are thousands if not millions of real estate related websites that are all very similar. They have tons and tons of text. What they don't have is a compelling reason for a prospective customer to contact us or to enter their contact information. What good is it having tons of people looking at your site if you don't know who they are or how to contact them?
For those of you who don't know, a squeeze page is a website whose only goal is to get you to fill out a contact form in order to create a lead. You have all seen them, and most of you have probably filled one or two out in an effort to get the information you came to that site looking for. The squeeze page offers you something in return for entering your contact information thus creating a lead. Isn't that what we should be doing with our online marketing? Creating leads!
To do this you must have a compelling call to action! A couple examples would be:
Sign up here to receive a FREE Foreclosure List!
Search our MLS like a REALTOR!
These would entice a prospective customer to enter their information thus giving you a workable real estate lead. What other call to actions have you seen that really entice people to give you their information on your website?
Please share any really good results you have had with calls to action!
Friday, June 11, 2010
7 Steps to Take Before Buying a Home
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7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home
By doing your homework before you buy, you’ll feel more content about your new home. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Consistency is Key
I work with Realtors all the time who seem to be going in so many different directions that they really aren't going anywhere. They try one type of marketing for a short period of time and then if they don't see immediate results they start trying something new. They seem to always be searching for the next gimmick that is going to fill their in box with fresh new leads. If their latest letter to expired listings doesn't land them a few new listings they switch tactics completely and start marketing on Craigslist.
While both of those methods are fine you need to do them with consistency. One expired post card typically won't win you a new listing. You should follow up with multiple letters or cards and of course a phone call.
Posting listings on Craigslist is a wonderful way to generate buyers leads. But you have to do it over and over again to keep them fresh. I know a young lady who got in this business with very little start up capital. She posted 10 Craigslist adds before breakfast and 10 before lunch four days a week. That was the only advertising she could afford. In her first year she made nearly six figures. Her key to success was she picked doing one thing and doing it consistently.
My suggestion is that you sit down a create a plan of action. Block out time in your schedule to implement your plan and stay the course. Make sure you set goals that are realistic and achievable. Then track your efforts and measure your results. Make small adjustments to your plan as needed. But don't just throw up your hands and go in a completely different direction because you didn't get instant gratification
Search the SW Florida MLS just like I do! Get a free Listingbook account:
www.resuperstars.com
www.erikelsea.com
www.jonesandcorealty.com
While both of those methods are fine you need to do them with consistency. One expired post card typically won't win you a new listing. You should follow up with multiple letters or cards and of course a phone call.
Posting listings on Craigslist is a wonderful way to generate buyers leads. But you have to do it over and over again to keep them fresh. I know a young lady who got in this business with very little start up capital. She posted 10 Craigslist adds before breakfast and 10 before lunch four days a week. That was the only advertising she could afford. In her first year she made nearly six figures. Her key to success was she picked doing one thing and doing it consistently.
My suggestion is that you sit down a create a plan of action. Block out time in your schedule to implement your plan and stay the course. Make sure you set goals that are realistic and achievable. Then track your efforts and measure your results. Make small adjustments to your plan as needed. But don't just throw up your hands and go in a completely different direction because you didn't get instant gratification
Search the SW Florida MLS just like I do! Get a free Listingbook account:
www.resuperstars.com
www.erikelsea.com
www.jonesandcorealty.com
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
How Much Mortgage Can You Afford?
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4 Tips to Determine How Much Mortgage You Can Afford
By knowing how much mortgage you can handle, you can ensure that home ownership will fit in your budget. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Monday, June 7, 2010
Home Buying Tips
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7 Steps to Take Before You Buy a Home
By doing your homework before you buy, you’ll feel more content about your new home. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
The Numbers Don't Lie
My focus in the SW Florida Real Estate market is to go after listings. Competing with all these short sales and foreclosures has made it difficult for conventional sellers to get what they want out of their properties. The market determines value. My father used to always tell me something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. So arming my sellers with accurate information on market conditions is the only way I can show them what the market is doing.
Even though most of the foreclosures in this market are distressed properties and it shows in their condition they are usually priced to reflect that. Explaining this to my customers can be difficult but with the online tools I use I can show them real up to date accurate information. This makes my job of getting the listing and subsequently a sale much easier.
A CMA used to be a really good tool for doing this but having a cyber CMA to give my sellers updates and reports for the ever changing market not only keeps them informed constantly but makes my job easier when it comes to price adjustments.
An educated seller is the best kind of seller to have!
Even though most of the foreclosures in this market are distressed properties and it shows in their condition they are usually priced to reflect that. Explaining this to my customers can be difficult but with the online tools I use I can show them real up to date accurate information. This makes my job of getting the listing and subsequently a sale much easier.
A CMA used to be a really good tool for doing this but having a cyber CMA to give my sellers updates and reports for the ever changing market not only keeps them informed constantly but makes my job easier when it comes to price adjustments.
An educated seller is the best kind of seller to have!
Friday, June 4, 2010
6 Tips for Buying a Home in Short Sale
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6 Tips for Buying a Home in a Short Sale
By preparing for a real estate short sale, you can emerge with a great home at a favorable price. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Congratulations JJ Jones
JJ Jones is pleased to announce the creation of Jones & Co. Realty. Imagine finally working with a brokerage that has created a community of successful professionals, a synergistic environment of collaboration and support where all can prosper.
JJ Jones, past President of the Greater Ft. Myers & the Beach Association of Realtors, Real Estate Coach and Trainer brings you the best of both worlds. 100% Commission plan coupled with:
-A Fun, Professional Environment
-Full Broker Training and Support
-State of the Art Technology
-Lead Creation Program
This is what the Real Estate Market has been waiting for!
A company who helps you realize your dreams and realizes your business is “all about YOU!”
$99.00/mo $129.00 per transaction 100% commission.
Or
$0/mo $129.00 per transaction 80/20 commission split.
Its that simple!
We are committed to coaching you to meet and exceed your career goals.
Contact us today for a confidential meeting to discuss YOUR career!
www.erikelsea.com
www.resuperstars.com
www.jonesandcorealty.com
JJ Jones, past President of the Greater Ft. Myers & the Beach Association of Realtors, Real Estate Coach and Trainer brings you the best of both worlds. 100% Commission plan coupled with:
-A Fun, Professional Environment
-Full Broker Training and Support
-State of the Art Technology
-Lead Creation Program
This is what the Real Estate Market has been waiting for!
A company who helps you realize your dreams and realizes your business is “all about YOU!”
$99.00/mo $129.00 per transaction 100% commission.
Or
$0/mo $129.00 per transaction 80/20 commission split.
Its that simple!
We are committed to coaching you to meet and exceed your career goals.
Contact us today for a confidential meeting to discuss YOUR career!
www.erikelsea.com
www.resuperstars.com
www.jonesandcorealty.com
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Change is Good
I recently moved my license to Jones & Co. Realty here in Fort Myers Florida from a company I have been with in one fashion or another since 2004. It was a very difficult decision because I consider my old owners as close personal friends. I have been loyal for years. Even through the ups and downs of this crazy real estate market.
But I felt like I needed a change in my career. Things have been good here in Ft. Myers this past year due to low prices and government incentives. Foreclosures in Lee County are at their lowest levels in three years and the median price has crept back up to over $100,000. I believe this market is ready to make a long sustained run of growth. So now was the time to make a change.
My difficult decision was made easier because I was going to work with someone who I have so much respect for. JJ Jones is past President of the Ft. Myers Association of Realtors, a corporate trainer for Listingbook, long time Broker and Manager, and real estate coach.
What really excited me was the business plan Jones & Co. Realty. They are a true 100% Company. I have seen ads and received emails from other 100% Companies in the area but they offered very few services and usually charged large transaction fees or desk fees. Jones & Co. Realty only charges $99.00/mo. And $129.00 per transaction. Its really that simple.
When I think about how much money I have given my past company for what ammounted to very little in the way of training, coaching, support, leads, etc. I can’t believe it. I have created my own business and leads my entire career. I created the business I have and now I get to keep the rewards. I will miss my friends at my old company but now with my extra commission I can afford to take them out for drinks from time to time.
www.jonesandcorealty.com
www.resuperstars.com
www.erikelsea.com
But I felt like I needed a change in my career. Things have been good here in Ft. Myers this past year due to low prices and government incentives. Foreclosures in Lee County are at their lowest levels in three years and the median price has crept back up to over $100,000. I believe this market is ready to make a long sustained run of growth. So now was the time to make a change.
My difficult decision was made easier because I was going to work with someone who I have so much respect for. JJ Jones is past President of the Ft. Myers Association of Realtors, a corporate trainer for Listingbook, long time Broker and Manager, and real estate coach.
What really excited me was the business plan Jones & Co. Realty. They are a true 100% Company. I have seen ads and received emails from other 100% Companies in the area but they offered very few services and usually charged large transaction fees or desk fees. Jones & Co. Realty only charges $99.00/mo. And $129.00 per transaction. Its really that simple.
When I think about how much money I have given my past company for what ammounted to very little in the way of training, coaching, support, leads, etc. I can’t believe it. I have created my own business and leads my entire career. I created the business I have and now I get to keep the rewards. I will miss my friends at my old company but now with my extra commission I can afford to take them out for drinks from time to time.
www.jonesandcorealty.com
www.resuperstars.com
www.erikelsea.com
7 Tips for Short Sale Success
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7 Tips for Short Sale Success
Have to sell your home for less than it’s worth? Our seven tips will help you get the best price. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2010 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Thursday, August 6, 2009
How to Win Five in a Row
Five in a Row
To win five sporting events in a row is an amazing feat. There has not been a Triple Crown winner in horse racing in 30 years. To win a Superbowl in football takes winning at least three in a row and is celebrated as one of the great accomplishments in all sports each year. To win a World Series requires winning four games, although they do not have to be in a row: just the best of seven. So when Ron Hornaday won his fifth consecutive NASCAR Camping World Truck Race on Saturday, I watched in awe.
There is so much that has to happen to win just one race. So many things can go wrong, and so many things have to go right. There are 36 other trucks on the track, all hoping to make it to Victory Lane. Equipment can break or malfunction. The pit crew can make mistakes. A driver can be caught up in an accident beyond his control. Thousands of other things can happen to take a car out of the race or put it behind the leader.
So what does a driver have to do to win five in a row? First he has to have awesome equipment. He must have engines with outstanding horsepower. The handling on the truck has to be spot on. Pit stops need to be fast. All of these things have to happen, and the driver has to believe he is a winner. In fact, on a racing team everyone has to believe. The guys in the shop who prepare the truck for the race, the people in the engine department, squeezing the last bit of power out of the engine while making sure it holds together for the entire race, the driver himself—all need to believe.
To be able to do this five consecutive times is historic. In fact, it has never been done in this series and has not been done in any of NASCAR’s major touring series since 1971, when NASCAR was very different from what it is today. The moral of this account is that if you believe you are a winner, you will be! The 33 team believed it was and proved it to the rest of us.
As a side note I could not be happier for Ron Hornaday and his team. About 4 years ago I was with some friends in Mooresville, NC at this little, hole-in-the-wall, local bar to listen to a band and relax on a Saturday night when a guy tapped me on the shoulder, asking for help to move a table. I said, “No problem” and “Man, you look like Ron Hornaday.” He replied, “I am,” and we ended up talking for awhile. I can tell you that he is as down to earth and as much a gentleman as anyone I have ever met. He has all the humble qualities someone needs to make history like he has. In my book he deserves the accolades. I congratulate the 33 team! They proved to me that if a person believes, he can achieve.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day!-“Faith is to believe what you do not see, the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”-unknown
To win five sporting events in a row is an amazing feat. There has not been a Triple Crown winner in horse racing in 30 years. To win a Superbowl in football takes winning at least three in a row and is celebrated as one of the great accomplishments in all sports each year. To win a World Series requires winning four games, although they do not have to be in a row: just the best of seven. So when Ron Hornaday won his fifth consecutive NASCAR Camping World Truck Race on Saturday, I watched in awe.
There is so much that has to happen to win just one race. So many things can go wrong, and so many things have to go right. There are 36 other trucks on the track, all hoping to make it to Victory Lane. Equipment can break or malfunction. The pit crew can make mistakes. A driver can be caught up in an accident beyond his control. Thousands of other things can happen to take a car out of the race or put it behind the leader.
So what does a driver have to do to win five in a row? First he has to have awesome equipment. He must have engines with outstanding horsepower. The handling on the truck has to be spot on. Pit stops need to be fast. All of these things have to happen, and the driver has to believe he is a winner. In fact, on a racing team everyone has to believe. The guys in the shop who prepare the truck for the race, the people in the engine department, squeezing the last bit of power out of the engine while making sure it holds together for the entire race, the driver himself—all need to believe.
To be able to do this five consecutive times is historic. In fact, it has never been done in this series and has not been done in any of NASCAR’s major touring series since 1971, when NASCAR was very different from what it is today. The moral of this account is that if you believe you are a winner, you will be! The 33 team believed it was and proved it to the rest of us.
As a side note I could not be happier for Ron Hornaday and his team. About 4 years ago I was with some friends in Mooresville, NC at this little, hole-in-the-wall, local bar to listen to a band and relax on a Saturday night when a guy tapped me on the shoulder, asking for help to move a table. I said, “No problem” and “Man, you look like Ron Hornaday.” He replied, “I am,” and we ended up talking for awhile. I can tell you that he is as down to earth and as much a gentleman as anyone I have ever met. He has all the humble qualities someone needs to make history like he has. In my book he deserves the accolades. I congratulate the 33 team! They proved to me that if a person believes, he can achieve.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day!-“Faith is to believe what you do not see, the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.”-unknown
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Do You Play Victim?
Playing the Victim
In racing one sees a lot of post-race interviews in which one driver blames another for getting him loose or spinning him out, causing a wreck. I am amazed that drivers have such a hard time taking responsibility for what happens on the track. In racing, as in life, few things happen over which we have no control. A series of events usually occurs before a wreck, and often the wreck could have been avoided. It troubles me when drivers get in front of the camera after a race and play victim.
This is an important issue for me personally. I have spent a good deal of my life in victim mode. However, when I honestly look in the mirror and take full responsibility for my life, I am able to move forward. As a life coach I find many people who do not realize that they have created everything in their life. Placing the blame on others and not owning up to the fact that they are responsible for the life they lead are the primary obstacles that hold back most people. The Law of Attraction states this: everything we have in our lives we have created—good and bad.
If you want to change your life, then start owning it. Take a good, long look in the mirror and realize that you are where you are today because you choose to be—the result of your past thoughts and actions. Today, however, you are choosing to take control of your life and be completely responsible for future outcomes.
When you have negative feelings or are dealing with a difficult situation, assess whether you are in victim mode. Analyze your thoughts and, if you are thinking of yourself as a victim, reevaluate and change your role. Take ownership of your life, and you will finally be in control of your own destiny.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day!-“Some men see things as they are and say ‘Why?’ I dream things that never were and say ‘Why Not?’” – George Bernard Shaw
In racing one sees a lot of post-race interviews in which one driver blames another for getting him loose or spinning him out, causing a wreck. I am amazed that drivers have such a hard time taking responsibility for what happens on the track. In racing, as in life, few things happen over which we have no control. A series of events usually occurs before a wreck, and often the wreck could have been avoided. It troubles me when drivers get in front of the camera after a race and play victim.
This is an important issue for me personally. I have spent a good deal of my life in victim mode. However, when I honestly look in the mirror and take full responsibility for my life, I am able to move forward. As a life coach I find many people who do not realize that they have created everything in their life. Placing the blame on others and not owning up to the fact that they are responsible for the life they lead are the primary obstacles that hold back most people. The Law of Attraction states this: everything we have in our lives we have created—good and bad.
If you want to change your life, then start owning it. Take a good, long look in the mirror and realize that you are where you are today because you choose to be—the result of your past thoughts and actions. Today, however, you are choosing to take control of your life and be completely responsible for future outcomes.
When you have negative feelings or are dealing with a difficult situation, assess whether you are in victim mode. Analyze your thoughts and, if you are thinking of yourself as a victim, reevaluate and change your role. Take ownership of your life, and you will finally be in control of your own destiny.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day!-“Some men see things as they are and say ‘Why?’ I dream things that never were and say ‘Why Not?’” – George Bernard Shaw
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
What Is Wrong with Failure?
What Is Wrong with Failure?
I have crashed and burned several times in my life—in a race car, in business and in relationships. I have made some pretty major mistakes, and they have cost me a lot. I used to really beat myself up over them. Now I realize the real cost was the time and energy I wasted on feeling sorry for myself or on not moving forward because I was so caught up in the past, where all my energies were focused.
Not until I was able to let go of the past and concentrate on today did I truly learn how to live. I learned to embrace the mistakes and failures as life lessons. I believe I may have created these challenges in my life to help me grow and to prepare myself to handle anything that comes my way. My failures have given me the strength to be successful.
From Portrait of an Achiever:
-1832 Failed in business: bankruptcy
-1832 Defeated for legislature
-1834 Failed in business: bankruptcy
-1835 Fiancé died
-1836 Nervous breakdown
-1838 Defeated in election
-1843 Defeated for U.S. Congress
-1848 Defeated for U.S. Congress
-1855 Defeated for U.S. Senate
-1856 Defeated for Vice President
-1858 Defeated for U.S. Senate
-1860 Abraham Lincoln Elected President of the United States of America
Abraham Lincoln shows us that failure can overcome us only if we let it. Those who are truly successful take life’s hardships and setbacks and use them as preparation for the next challenge. The lesson in all this: Use life’s challenges to build character and strength to move forward with your life.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day! - “Strength is built by one’s failures, not by one’s successes.”- Coco Channel
I have crashed and burned several times in my life—in a race car, in business and in relationships. I have made some pretty major mistakes, and they have cost me a lot. I used to really beat myself up over them. Now I realize the real cost was the time and energy I wasted on feeling sorry for myself or on not moving forward because I was so caught up in the past, where all my energies were focused.
Not until I was able to let go of the past and concentrate on today did I truly learn how to live. I learned to embrace the mistakes and failures as life lessons. I believe I may have created these challenges in my life to help me grow and to prepare myself to handle anything that comes my way. My failures have given me the strength to be successful.
From Portrait of an Achiever:
-1832 Failed in business: bankruptcy
-1832 Defeated for legislature
-1834 Failed in business: bankruptcy
-1835 Fiancé died
-1836 Nervous breakdown
-1838 Defeated in election
-1843 Defeated for U.S. Congress
-1848 Defeated for U.S. Congress
-1855 Defeated for U.S. Senate
-1856 Defeated for Vice President
-1858 Defeated for U.S. Senate
-1860 Abraham Lincoln Elected President of the United States of America
Abraham Lincoln shows us that failure can overcome us only if we let it. Those who are truly successful take life’s hardships and setbacks and use them as preparation for the next challenge. The lesson in all this: Use life’s challenges to build character and strength to move forward with your life.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day! - “Strength is built by one’s failures, not by one’s successes.”- Coco Channel
Monday, August 3, 2009
August Book Review: The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
It has been passed down through the ages, highly coveted, hidden, lost, stolen and bought for vast sums of money. This centuries-old Secret has been understood by some of the most prominent people in history: Plato, Galileo, Beethoven, Edison, Carnegie, Einstein—along with other inventors, theologians, scientists and great thinkers. Now The Secret is being revealed to the world.
“As you learn The Secret you will come to know how you can have, be, or do anything you want. You will know who you really are. You will come to know the true magnificence that awaits you in life.”
— from the Introduction
If you don’t know the Secret, then you need to read this book or see the documentary that was made by some of the leading business leaders, philosophers, authors, speakers and quantum physicists of our time about the Law of Attraction.
The Law of Attraction states that what you think about, you bring about. You control your destiny with the power of your mind. You become what you think about most, but you also attract what you think about most. Like attracts like. If you have positive thoughts, you will have positive results. The Law of Attraction gives you what you want—period! If there was ever a book that I could recommend that would start you on the path to changing your life, this book is it. Further, I suggest you get the DVD and the book and use them together.
You can find these at www.erikelsea.com/books/
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
“As you learn The Secret you will come to know how you can have, be, or do anything you want. You will know who you really are. You will come to know the true magnificence that awaits you in life.”
— from the Introduction
If you don’t know the Secret, then you need to read this book or see the documentary that was made by some of the leading business leaders, philosophers, authors, speakers and quantum physicists of our time about the Law of Attraction.
The Law of Attraction states that what you think about, you bring about. You control your destiny with the power of your mind. You become what you think about most, but you also attract what you think about most. Like attracts like. If you have positive thoughts, you will have positive results. The Law of Attraction gives you what you want—period! If there was ever a book that I could recommend that would start you on the path to changing your life, this book is it. Further, I suggest you get the DVD and the book and use them together.
You can find these at www.erikelsea.com/books/
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Go or Go Home!
I had the opportunity this past week to watch qualifying for the NASCAR race in Chicago. For those of you not familiar with NASCAR racing, there are 43 starting positions in the race. Usually there are more cars than that that show up to try and make it into the race. The cars that are in the top 35 in owners points are guaranteed a spot, so all of the cars that show up outside of the top 35 have to qualify their way into the big show. For this particular race in Chicago there were 11 cars competing for 8 spots. These 11 cars are considered go or go home cars. Basically their whole weekend is riding on their being fast enough to make the field in the 2-lap qualifying run.
That’s a lot of pressure. A driver has two laps to make a fast run or his team ends up putting its equipment back on the car hauler and heading back to Charlotte without even racing. Think of all those wasted miles, driving out to Chicago or Las Vegas or California and not making the race. All the preparation is for naught if a racing team cannot make a good qualifying run. This past weekend 3 teams made that long, disappointing drive home without the chance to race.
When you are a team that is trying to qualify, you do everything legally within your power to try to make the field. The preparation that goes into a qualifying round is extensive. The team’s one goal is to lay down the fastest possible lap it can. As is said in other sports, “It’s do or die.”
What if we started having that kind of focus in our lives? What if in our careers we treated each meeting or presentation or client like it was go or go home? What if for our health and well-being we started making going to the gym a do or die activity instead of thinking, “I’ll try.” The amount of preparation put into qualifying on a go or go home car is intense. If we put that same amount of preparation into the important aspects of our lives, I promise we would start accomplishing more.
I use a system that Charles M. Schwab, president of Bethlehem Steel, learned from a man named Ivy Lee, whose objective it was to sell him services to make his business more efficient. It is called the critical six. At the end of each day make a list of the six most critical tasks that you need to complete the next day. The key is that they be critical for moving you toward your goals. After you number them in order of importance, complete them the next day in that order and check them off as you do. Any unfinished tasks automatically become your most important tasks for the next day. By doing this you will stay on task to complete the most important steps toward personal success. Start treating your life as go or go home. . .to win the race of life.
For more in-depth coaching on winning in life or in business, check out my website below.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day!-“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” –John Wooden
That’s a lot of pressure. A driver has two laps to make a fast run or his team ends up putting its equipment back on the car hauler and heading back to Charlotte without even racing. Think of all those wasted miles, driving out to Chicago or Las Vegas or California and not making the race. All the preparation is for naught if a racing team cannot make a good qualifying run. This past weekend 3 teams made that long, disappointing drive home without the chance to race.
When you are a team that is trying to qualify, you do everything legally within your power to try to make the field. The preparation that goes into a qualifying round is extensive. The team’s one goal is to lay down the fastest possible lap it can. As is said in other sports, “It’s do or die.”
What if we started having that kind of focus in our lives? What if in our careers we treated each meeting or presentation or client like it was go or go home? What if for our health and well-being we started making going to the gym a do or die activity instead of thinking, “I’ll try.” The amount of preparation put into qualifying on a go or go home car is intense. If we put that same amount of preparation into the important aspects of our lives, I promise we would start accomplishing more.
I use a system that Charles M. Schwab, president of Bethlehem Steel, learned from a man named Ivy Lee, whose objective it was to sell him services to make his business more efficient. It is called the critical six. At the end of each day make a list of the six most critical tasks that you need to complete the next day. The key is that they be critical for moving you toward your goals. After you number them in order of importance, complete them the next day in that order and check them off as you do. Any unfinished tasks automatically become your most important tasks for the next day. By doing this you will stay on task to complete the most important steps toward personal success. Start treating your life as go or go home. . .to win the race of life.
For more in-depth coaching on winning in life or in business, check out my website below.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day!-“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” –John Wooden
Monday, July 13, 2009
Celebrating Those First Victories
Celebrating Those First Victories!
A couple weeks ago Joey Logano celebrated in New Hampshire what many believe will be the first of many victories in his career in New Hampshire. At age 19 he is the youngest driver to ever win a Sprint Cup NASCAR race. A first victory is special on so many levels. It is special just for the fact that winning a race is a huge achievement. It is proof that all of the training and hard work have paid off and were worth it. You earn a respect from the people with whom you race. But most importantly you prove to yourself what you already knew: I can do this.
I am writing this because our lives are full of firsts. The victories that we have in life are not always celebrated with champagne, confetti and a beautiful girl’s kissing your cheek but they are just as important . . . and so maybe should be.
It seems to me that when we were children a lot of firsts were celebrated. A first birthday was an important family event. Our parents were overjoyed when my siblings and I took our first step or said our first word, and they have a photo of each year’s first day of school.
I want to remind everyone to keep celebrating those first victories. They are important! Don’t miss a one. Your first anniversary. The first day of work in a new career. The first day of school to continue your education. The first sale you make at a new job. Reward yourself and acknowledge these accomplishments. If you can go all out with the champagne, confetti and even the beautiful girl’s kissing your cheek, then do it. You are telling the universe that you gladly receive all the victories in your life and you are ready for more to come.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
A couple weeks ago Joey Logano celebrated in New Hampshire what many believe will be the first of many victories in his career in New Hampshire. At age 19 he is the youngest driver to ever win a Sprint Cup NASCAR race. A first victory is special on so many levels. It is special just for the fact that winning a race is a huge achievement. It is proof that all of the training and hard work have paid off and were worth it. You earn a respect from the people with whom you race. But most importantly you prove to yourself what you already knew: I can do this.
I am writing this because our lives are full of firsts. The victories that we have in life are not always celebrated with champagne, confetti and a beautiful girl’s kissing your cheek but they are just as important . . . and so maybe should be.
It seems to me that when we were children a lot of firsts were celebrated. A first birthday was an important family event. Our parents were overjoyed when my siblings and I took our first step or said our first word, and they have a photo of each year’s first day of school.
I want to remind everyone to keep celebrating those first victories. They are important! Don’t miss a one. Your first anniversary. The first day of work in a new career. The first day of school to continue your education. The first sale you make at a new job. Reward yourself and acknowledge these accomplishments. If you can go all out with the champagne, confetti and even the beautiful girl’s kissing your cheek, then do it. You are telling the universe that you gladly receive all the victories in your life and you are ready for more to come.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Friday, July 10, 2009
Deal with your Emotions
Last weekend’s NASCAR race had a spectacular finish with cars piling up and sliding across the finish line. Kyle Busch was leading the race but ended up getting loose and wrecking when he tried to block Tony Stewart. After slamming into the wall and getting hit from behind by Kasey Kahne, he ended up falling to 14th place. To go from leading with less than a half mile to go to finishing in 14th place because you got spun out would make anyone upset. The problem for Kyle was that the replay showed clearly that it was not Tony Stewart’s fault.
Kyle did not have the opportunity to view the replay before climbing out of his car, visibly upset. He went stomping down pit road toward victory lane, stripping off his gloves and his helmet because he was going to give Tony a piece of his mind . . . and maybe then some. About halfway down pit road the NASCAR officials corralled him. It took about eight of them to force him into a truck to be taken to the infield care center, where he could be checked out and persuaded to cool his temper.
I have been watching racing, involved in racing and behind the wheel of a race car long enough to have seen this scenario played out many times. In this case it didn’t lead to a fight or the loser slamming his car into the winner’s car like it usually does. In this case NASCAR officials got to Kyle first and gave him a chance to cool down and maybe even see the replay so he knew that he was not wrecked on purpose.
How many times in our lives have we let our emotions control our decision making and our actions? I am as guilty of this as anyone. But I have gradually come to realize that as emotions go up, intelligence goes down. We all need to concentrate on leaving emotion out of major decisions in our lives. When we are emotionally attached to the outcome of something, it is like we have blinders on to the rest of the world.
I have seen people so emotionally attached to a relationship that they stay in it even though it is suffocating them. I have seen people so emotionally attached to a business or investment that they refuse to see its failing until they are completely broke and sometimes buried in debt. The point: if you want to change your life, change your thinking. Leave your emotions at the door.
Remember: when emotions go up, intelligence goes down!
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Kyle did not have the opportunity to view the replay before climbing out of his car, visibly upset. He went stomping down pit road toward victory lane, stripping off his gloves and his helmet because he was going to give Tony a piece of his mind . . . and maybe then some. About halfway down pit road the NASCAR officials corralled him. It took about eight of them to force him into a truck to be taken to the infield care center, where he could be checked out and persuaded to cool his temper.
I have been watching racing, involved in racing and behind the wheel of a race car long enough to have seen this scenario played out many times. In this case it didn’t lead to a fight or the loser slamming his car into the winner’s car like it usually does. In this case NASCAR officials got to Kyle first and gave him a chance to cool down and maybe even see the replay so he knew that he was not wrecked on purpose.
How many times in our lives have we let our emotions control our decision making and our actions? I am as guilty of this as anyone. But I have gradually come to realize that as emotions go up, intelligence goes down. We all need to concentrate on leaving emotion out of major decisions in our lives. When we are emotionally attached to the outcome of something, it is like we have blinders on to the rest of the world.
I have seen people so emotionally attached to a relationship that they stay in it even though it is suffocating them. I have seen people so emotionally attached to a business or investment that they refuse to see its failing until they are completely broke and sometimes buried in debt. The point: if you want to change your life, change your thinking. Leave your emotions at the door.
Remember: when emotions go up, intelligence goes down!
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Thursday, July 9, 2009
How Do You Want to Win?
How Do You Want to Win?
I had the pleasure of attending the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona this past weekend. For any of you who follow this blog regularly, you know that racing, and in particular NASCAR racing, is a huge passion of mine. It is right up there with the coaching and consulting I do. Helping people win in life and in business correlates with my passion for racing. What made this weekend even better is that I was able to share the experience with someone who had never been to a race.
It was an amazing race, with all the excitement one could expect, especially as someone’s first. Going to the mecca of NASCAR racing on the Fourth of July, celebrating everything that is great about America and seeing a phenomenal finish was awesome. The lead changed in the last lap; then the lead driver slammed into the wall and triggered a massive wreck—all the elements of racing excitement in one event.
Tony Stewart was the eventual winner, and it was his handling of Kyle Busch’s wreck that impressed me most. It was Tony’s car that got Kyle Busch loose coming out of turn 4, but when Kyle moved up the track to block him, Kyle’s car was spun sideways and into the wall at over 180 miles per hour. Even in the stands we could see from the replay on the Jumbotron monitors that is was nobody’s fault. It was a fact of racing: everyone’s fighting for the same piece of real estate and going for the win. Tony Stewart came out on the better end of the deal this time, but even as he crossed the finish line, he was on his radio, saying “I don’t like winning ‘em like that.” He was also extremely humble in all his post-race interviews, making sure that everyone knew he was not at all happy about what had happened to Kyle Busch.
A term in racing says it all: “clean.” This means racing tough but not wrecking your opponents on purpose in order to win. Tony Stewart raced Kyle Busch “clean,” and that brings me to the point of this blog. Are you racing everyone clean? I know successful people—successful by society’s standards, anyway—who did not win honestly. I wonder, “Did they truly do what was in the best interest of their client, their relationships, their family, and their business partners, or did they put their winning above and beyond everyone else in their life?”
How do you want to be remembered? As someone who was fair and honest or someone who tried to win at all costs? Wrecks happen in life as well as in racing. What matters is where your intentions lie. Make decisions that you can sleep with at night. Let the past be history and move on to race “clean” for the next victory.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
I had the pleasure of attending the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona this past weekend. For any of you who follow this blog regularly, you know that racing, and in particular NASCAR racing, is a huge passion of mine. It is right up there with the coaching and consulting I do. Helping people win in life and in business correlates with my passion for racing. What made this weekend even better is that I was able to share the experience with someone who had never been to a race.
It was an amazing race, with all the excitement one could expect, especially as someone’s first. Going to the mecca of NASCAR racing on the Fourth of July, celebrating everything that is great about America and seeing a phenomenal finish was awesome. The lead changed in the last lap; then the lead driver slammed into the wall and triggered a massive wreck—all the elements of racing excitement in one event.
Tony Stewart was the eventual winner, and it was his handling of Kyle Busch’s wreck that impressed me most. It was Tony’s car that got Kyle Busch loose coming out of turn 4, but when Kyle moved up the track to block him, Kyle’s car was spun sideways and into the wall at over 180 miles per hour. Even in the stands we could see from the replay on the Jumbotron monitors that is was nobody’s fault. It was a fact of racing: everyone’s fighting for the same piece of real estate and going for the win. Tony Stewart came out on the better end of the deal this time, but even as he crossed the finish line, he was on his radio, saying “I don’t like winning ‘em like that.” He was also extremely humble in all his post-race interviews, making sure that everyone knew he was not at all happy about what had happened to Kyle Busch.
A term in racing says it all: “clean.” This means racing tough but not wrecking your opponents on purpose in order to win. Tony Stewart raced Kyle Busch “clean,” and that brings me to the point of this blog. Are you racing everyone clean? I know successful people—successful by society’s standards, anyway—who did not win honestly. I wonder, “Did they truly do what was in the best interest of their client, their relationships, their family, and their business partners, or did they put their winning above and beyond everyone else in their life?”
How do you want to be remembered? As someone who was fair and honest or someone who tried to win at all costs? Wrecks happen in life as well as in racing. What matters is where your intentions lie. Make decisions that you can sleep with at night. Let the past be history and move on to race “clean” for the next victory.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, by Dr. Robert Fulghum – July Book Review
Like most people, I have a going on in my life. Between work and family and keeping up with the normal hustle and bustle of life, I, like others, tend to forget the simple pleasures in life and miss the bigger meaning in the little things. This book by Dr. Robert Fulghum reminds all of us of the significance found in our relationships with others and in everyday occurrences.
So often I find myself forgetting to slow down and smell the roses. My schedule is extremely full. When life starts to overwhelm me, the essays in this book help bring me back to the basics and remind me what is truly important in life. And when I get right down to it, I did learn it all in kindergarten.
(From the book)
ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday school. These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don’t hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life: learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
Wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: they all die. So do we.
And remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned—the biggest word of all—LOOK.
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere: the Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology and politics and equality and sane living.
Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all—the whole world—had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.
And it is still true, no matter how old you are: when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.
(End of book excerpt)
I have read this book three times in my life. As far as I’m concerned, that is way too few. As complicated as I have made my life, I need to be reminded more often to keep it simple. We all want the same basic things in life. They just come wrapped in different packages. This book will help you realize how truly special the gifts in your life are.
To order your copy of this book or look at past book reviews, visit www.erikelsea.com/books/.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day! “We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.” - Marianne Williamson
So often I find myself forgetting to slow down and smell the roses. My schedule is extremely full. When life starts to overwhelm me, the essays in this book help bring me back to the basics and remind me what is truly important in life. And when I get right down to it, I did learn it all in kindergarten.
(From the book)
ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday school. These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don’t hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life: learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
Wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: they all die. So do we.
And remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned—the biggest word of all—LOOK.
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere: the Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation, ecology and politics and equality and sane living.
Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all—the whole world—had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.
And it is still true, no matter how old you are: when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.
(End of book excerpt)
I have read this book three times in my life. As far as I’m concerned, that is way too few. As complicated as I have made my life, I need to be reminded more often to keep it simple. We all want the same basic things in life. They just come wrapped in different packages. This book will help you realize how truly special the gifts in your life are.
To order your copy of this book or look at past book reviews, visit www.erikelsea.com/books/.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day! “We are not held back by the love we didn’t receive in the past, but by the love we’re not extending in the present.” - Marianne Williamson
Friday, July 3, 2009
Would You Rather Be Right or Rich?
Would You Rather Be Right or Rich?
I was amazed today when my appointment for an interview didn’t show. I am in the process of hiring one exceptional agent to handle my real estate business in Cape Coral. I thought I had found that person when a lady who had owned a boutique brokerage up north for 12 years responded to my ad. She explained to me that she had lots of experience but her license here in Florida was currently inactive. If she went to work anywhere, because of the state of the economy and her current financial situation, the new company would have to cover or at least advance her dues to the local real estate board. I understood. We have all been through tough times financially, and those dues are about $1200. We had a really nice conversation on the phone, and I thought she might be the one. I did not give her all of the specifics because I wanted to get to know her some in person and make sure she was going to be a good fit for our company. None of that happened.
I had sent her an e-mail confirming the time and location: 1 pm at a model home for a builder who is affiliated with our company. I specifically picked this location because it was the closest meeting place to her home to which I had access. I arranged my day and schedule around this appointment because our phone conversation and her reply to my e-mail, saying that she was looking forward to the meeting, made me hopeful. There was only one problem: she thought the meeting was at 10 am. I double- checked my e-mails to her, and she had obviously misread them. They clearly stated 1 pm.
When she didn’t show, I was really surprised. I waited until about 1:15, then called her, thinking maybe she had gotten lost. She answered and was angry with me because she had been there at 10 am, “like she wrote down.” She was sure she was right about the time. However, although I didn’t bring it to her attention, the time was there in black and white in the e-mail to which she responded. I also know I had other commitments this morning that would have precluded me from making another appointment.
However, in good faith, I changed other plans and met her later. Regardless, she went off on me because the construction guys who work in the model home failed to acknowledge her and she was left waiting for ten minutes. She was in the “right” that they should have greeted her, but I wondered why she hadn’t politely asked one of them where I was. She started blaming me for their rudeness, and I found myself trying to explain and apologize for something that was completely out of my control. She was angry with me for standing her up (which I didn’t), for the guys in the model home not giving her the time of day (I can’t be responsible for anyone other than myself.) and for driving all the way there (when I had picked a place as close to her as possible). She was dead set on letting me know she was “right.”
I knew then that she was not the one. You see, I needed a partner, someone to handle the day-to-day operations of a real estate business, someone who would be customer oriented and get along with all of us. This woman was more intent on being right. She was argumentative and confrontational. She didn’t take the time to check the correctness of her information (by rereading my e-mail) and did not seem inclined to admit mistakes or express humility. She would rather be right than “rich,” rich being relative, especially for someone who needed to borrow $1200 to renew her license.
I am not immune to wanting to be right, but I’ve learned it is not all important. In fact, it has cost me in my life: jobs, friendships, business partnerships, personal relationships. I am writing this today to remind myself and others that no one has to always be right. The only person anyone has to prove anything to is himself. Remember we are 100% responsible for ourselves only. Being right can cost you a lot in life. It cost this lady one heck of an opportunity.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day! – “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” –Henry Ford
I was amazed today when my appointment for an interview didn’t show. I am in the process of hiring one exceptional agent to handle my real estate business in Cape Coral. I thought I had found that person when a lady who had owned a boutique brokerage up north for 12 years responded to my ad. She explained to me that she had lots of experience but her license here in Florida was currently inactive. If she went to work anywhere, because of the state of the economy and her current financial situation, the new company would have to cover or at least advance her dues to the local real estate board. I understood. We have all been through tough times financially, and those dues are about $1200. We had a really nice conversation on the phone, and I thought she might be the one. I did not give her all of the specifics because I wanted to get to know her some in person and make sure she was going to be a good fit for our company. None of that happened.
I had sent her an e-mail confirming the time and location: 1 pm at a model home for a builder who is affiliated with our company. I specifically picked this location because it was the closest meeting place to her home to which I had access. I arranged my day and schedule around this appointment because our phone conversation and her reply to my e-mail, saying that she was looking forward to the meeting, made me hopeful. There was only one problem: she thought the meeting was at 10 am. I double- checked my e-mails to her, and she had obviously misread them. They clearly stated 1 pm.
When she didn’t show, I was really surprised. I waited until about 1:15, then called her, thinking maybe she had gotten lost. She answered and was angry with me because she had been there at 10 am, “like she wrote down.” She was sure she was right about the time. However, although I didn’t bring it to her attention, the time was there in black and white in the e-mail to which she responded. I also know I had other commitments this morning that would have precluded me from making another appointment.
However, in good faith, I changed other plans and met her later. Regardless, she went off on me because the construction guys who work in the model home failed to acknowledge her and she was left waiting for ten minutes. She was in the “right” that they should have greeted her, but I wondered why she hadn’t politely asked one of them where I was. She started blaming me for their rudeness, and I found myself trying to explain and apologize for something that was completely out of my control. She was angry with me for standing her up (which I didn’t), for the guys in the model home not giving her the time of day (I can’t be responsible for anyone other than myself.) and for driving all the way there (when I had picked a place as close to her as possible). She was dead set on letting me know she was “right.”
I knew then that she was not the one. You see, I needed a partner, someone to handle the day-to-day operations of a real estate business, someone who would be customer oriented and get along with all of us. This woman was more intent on being right. She was argumentative and confrontational. She didn’t take the time to check the correctness of her information (by rereading my e-mail) and did not seem inclined to admit mistakes or express humility. She would rather be right than “rich,” rich being relative, especially for someone who needed to borrow $1200 to renew her license.
I am not immune to wanting to be right, but I’ve learned it is not all important. In fact, it has cost me in my life: jobs, friendships, business partnerships, personal relationships. I am writing this today to remind myself and others that no one has to always be right. The only person anyone has to prove anything to is himself. Remember we are 100% responsible for ourselves only. Being right can cost you a lot in life. It cost this lady one heck of an opportunity.
Erik Elsea
www.erikelsea.com
Quote of the Day! – “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” –Henry Ford
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