What Are You Afraid Of? Confessions from a Palm Harbor Realtor

What are you afraid of?  Overpaying for your Pinellas home while being wham-blasted with negative news about the economy and the housing market?  Or perhaps secrets horrifically and seemingly worse?  OK.  I’ll go first.

I am dreadfully frightened of:

1. Public Speaking
2. Snakes
3. Having to work for someone else (translation:  fear of failing with our real estate business – which, by the way, is the opposite of reality, but a fear nonetheless)
4.  Slugs, snails and leeches (they belong in the same category, don’t you think?)

In these times, more than ever, it’s easy to venture into the realm of being fearful.   Yet, I think we all now, more than ever, must encourage our friends and neighbors to not only to survive these times but to thrive within them.  We’re fortunate, we have family (note: not colleagues or friends) at Keller Williams Realty Palm Harbor that have helped our successes and continue to propel us forward.   We give back, yet are at a point where it’s our duty and honor to do so more.

How do we conquer fear and catapult into the realm of fabulous?  I’m not quite sure, but after 43 years I think I might be on to something.  I’ve been pushing the limits of my comfort zone.  I invite you to stick your toes in the WATER OF FEAR, just to test the temperature.   In the last 30 days I:

1. Chopped a 1′ square, 1″ thick piece of plywood in half with my bare hands (see picture above) – in front of 50 people.
2. Watched an entire show on Animal Planet about slithering snakes with my son.
3. Have pushed myself, more than ever, with my routine of doing the thing I like to do least (lead generation), first thing in the day, and track my results.
4. Public Speaking:  As a newly appointed member of the ALC – Agent Leadership Council – in our Keller Williams Realty Palm Harbor office – I, with my dear friend Patty Neri, had to speak for a mere couple of minutes in front of a group of about 45 (which felt like 45,000).  Five minutes before speaking, my face was heating up, my was heart racing, and had that same ‘Oh my gosh I’m going to VOMIT’ feeling just like when doing oral reports in 9th grade history class and again in college.  Oh my!

Many of you are laughing about #4 and public speaking.  Maybe some of you can relate?  In retrospect, I managed to not throw up, my voice only cracked a few times, and I only stammered once or twice.  Afterward, I made my way to the water cooler and my hands were still shaking.  It’s all a blur now.  My stomach churns just thinking about it.  Yet, somehow, the next time it think it might be just a bit easier.   Afterward, more than ever before, I knew that everything was possible – if we just dare to try.  

What’s my point?  It’s summed up in a quote from an old book we started reading as part of a book club in our office (the brainchild of the amazing Ken Rossi) – Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway.  I’m paraphrasing here, but it’s this:

At the end of the day, I’d rather have said that I’m glad I tried or did than I wish I had.

How many of you have tested your fears?  For those of you that have, what have been your experiences?  Maybe it all just comes down to not overly analyzing whatever it is that scares us the most and just getting out there and facing it head on?

We can’t control Wall Street, but maybe it’s time to dip our toes in the waters of our inner fears – those fears that we actually CAN control?

Some of you now, are fearful of buying a Pinellas home in our current market.  That, I can share with you, with full-hearted enthusiasm – is nothing to be afraid of!  It’s perhaps the best time in history to buy your Dunedin home!  There are concrete facts to back that statement up if it’s a concern.  If you’re scared and have doubts about investing now, I invite you to post your comments and chat about them.  It’s o.k. to just dip your toe in.

After all, talking about buying real estate, within the type of market when historically millionaires are made, is a lot better than stepping on a snail in your bare feet (been there, done that).