Letting Go

My real estate license expires today. I'm finally giving it up. It has taken six years, 5,000 man-hours, and $10,000.00 to reach the conclusion that I'm just not going to make it as a Realtor. It's not who I am. I'm not a salesman by nature, and I've lost my passion for the work. What a shame it took so long to figure that out. I know it is better to try and fail, than to never try at all; but wouldn't it be handy to recognize failure quickly so you don't waste so much time.

I was warned. In class I was told that the average real estate agent earns $7,000.00 per year - that's correct ... seven thousand. There were years when I would have been happy to make that much. I've watched as other agents turned in their licenses - 30% of Maryland agents last time I looked. That should have been a clue. I looked on as my friends and family chose other agents instead of me. Ouch! My broker told me once, "If I had family like yours, I would disown them."

On the bright side, the clients I did work with were very happy. And I never had a contract that failed to close. I might try again in the future ... maybe when I retire? Get re-certified, find a broker to hang my license with, buy a new car, new suits, new smart phone. Then again ... maybe not.

I Can Fix That

I have a lot of broken stuff that I'm going to fix some day. I repaired a paper shredder last week. Now I can shred all those papers I've been unwilling to dispose of whole. There is something inherently satisfying in the sounds of a paper shredder at work - chewing up sheets of paper and spitting them out. Coherent thoughts and ideas go in one end, incomprehensible confetti dribbles out the other. I know people whose minds work just like that.

While I was happily shredding away, I came across the following note written across the back of an empty envelope:

"Hand in hand we walk together on the sand, our lives together have begun. We kiss and our hearts join as one, our souls bound together by the sun. What is love? How can we hope to know? A dream ... a feather on the snow."

Hmmm ... what do you do with that? Zzzzzzzzzt! Isn't a shredder a wonderful thing.

Potential

For as long as I can remember, people have said, "He has such potential!" And it's true. Even this late in life, I really do have a lot of potential ... but only because I am such a slow learner. It's an unfortunate part of my nature, but I really do learn slowly. I've compensated with a "lifelong learning policy", but I know I'll never really catch up. Alas ... Potential.

It's a New Year! I didn't make any resolutions because I haven't really accomplished the things I've been working on. But - in general - I plan to refocus my energy to finish a few things that are terribly important to me; and I'm starting to let go of some things I just shouldn't care about anymore. My grandfather used to say, "You spend the first half of your life acquiring stuff, and the second half trying to make it go away." How wise.

Here's wishing you all a safe and productive New Year!