ON THE WALLABY- 21st March 2007

" The greatest country, the richest country, is not that which has the most capitalists, monopolists, immense grabbings, vast fortunes, with its sad, sad soil of extreme, degrading, damning poverty, but the land in which there are the most homesteads, freeholds-where wealth does not show such contrasts high and low, where all men have enough-a modest living-and no man is made possessor beyond the sane and beautiful necessities."- Walt Whitman (1819-1892):

THE CORE OF WHAT IT TAKES TO “MAKE IT”

The other day I was musing whilst driving on a quotation that I read many years ago (written by a man who was actually born into slavery in America but who rose to become one of its eminent educationalists and philosophers) and its pertinence to many industries but especially the one I am engaged in - that of selling real estate.

His name was Booker T Washington and what he wrote in his wonderful autobiography entitled Up from Slavery was:

”The success of ones life should not be judged by the level to which they rose but by the obstacles they overcame in getting there”

“The obstacles they overcame in getting there” and therein lies the crux of the matter.

That then led me on to thinking about the probably thousands of people I have met in my real estate auctioneering, and lately training ,career over the last 20 years or so and why some “have made it” and others haven’t.

Was there any one or number of traits that showed why they would or would not make a success in our industry?

To me, it is all about how much “mongrel” they have in them or, as my Dad used to put it, how much “dog” they had.

Why the “mongrel” and/or “dog”?

Those with a rural upbringing will cotton on fast to what I am alluding to but the reality of life when working livestock is that sooner or later, your cattle or sheep dog will bark at the wrong time or zoom straight past the mob of cattle or flock of sheep when they shouldn’t have and, given the temperature of the day and your own frustration level, will earn themselves a swift boot in the bum or ribs.

They head off howling but very soon later, those with the “dog” or “mongrel” in them, will be back at your feet, panting away and looking at you with pleading eyes to be given another chance, which of course they get.

Those without those traits skulk off with their tails between their legs, ears and eyes lowered and are of no use to themselves or their owners, hence many end up at the end of a .22.

Real estate salespeople are not a lot different although obviously the end for those without the “dog” or “mongrel” is different to that of the canine species!

They do, however, exit the industry fast and never re-appear which is why just on 50% of those with licences and/or certificates in NSW leave within 12 months of entering the industry.

Countless times I have been approached by a parent who’s son or daughter would like to get into real estate and “would go exceptionally well as they have xxxx degrees”.

Many of them have been offended when I told them my view was that a B.A actually stood for “bugger all” and that most of the best performers in real estate, no matter the enterprise they are with, did not score that well at school but had good or great people skills, were “street smart” and had “mongrel” in them.

More than one headed off scratching their head at my view that the “only time success comes before work is in the dictionary” and that real estate selling is a lot more than drinking cappuccino and driving a flash car!

This is the only industry I know where someone can spend $1000 on a new suit and gaining their Sales Certificate and be earning a six figure income within 12 months.

If you wanted to be mechanic, hair dresser, whatever, you have to rent premises, pay staff and have a whole lot of administrative headaches.

Yes, entering the real estate selling “game” can, and most probably will, involve long hours, especially at the start but it is time well spent putting in the foundations of a lifelong endeavour that should be both profitable and satisfying.

My view is that , if you are in real estate,to make your time management the most profitable it can be, auctions need to be the cornerstone of your business growth and that is why time management and activities are such an important part of our From Signup to Sale course, details of which can be found by clicking on that hyperlink.

Harking back to Booker T Washington’s observation about “overcoming obstacles”, this industry has countless thousands of people who have done just that.

Not only before they started but also when they were developing their businesses as Principals or salespeople. Tragedy, financial hardship, personal dramas- all have contributed.

What I have written is applicable to many, indeed most probably, lines of business.So what got them through and into being up and away again?

Simple - how much “mongrel” or “dog” they had!!

Carpe diem

Tony

Tony Fountain

Professional Speaker, auctioneer and author

Sydney NSW Australia

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