I’m beaming.
Since moving to my new office, things have been all hustle and loads of bustle. I’ve worked hard the last five weeks or so and really changed from an agent plodding along to an agent who’s working hard and producing results. I’m in love with myself at the moment. I feel energized, proud, excited, and like I’m finally doing what I wanted to do in real estate. Results are always good. Hoping for them never works.
Today, I had my first closing since I switched over to my new broker (@sheilamoran), and it’s the first one of four this month. Not bad for a guy who was beginning to really feel in a slump before the switch. The closing wasn’t a monumental task, a monumental check, or a monumental story on how I found this client. Actually, this one was a pretty open and shut case of Real Estate 101. We had a few snags here and there, but they were all easily fixed and overall I’d give this transaction an A for ease of closing (we closed on time by the way – and funded the same day as well) and an A for the actual search and offer periods. It was a great transaction from start to close.
The afterglow.
As I was driving home from the title company; I had a smile on my face, the windows down, and NOFX blaring – I was happy with the world today. Because of my recent production, I also had that elated feeling after a closing…knowing there’s more right around the corner, but still cheering the victory of this one. I was in the afterglow of the transaction. That magical period of patting myself on the back for a job well done.
I returned to the office, threw around a few high fives (not really, but I pretended I did) and walked with my head held high. Today, I am a closer (“Cubicles are for closers, Marge. Anyone who doesn’t sell a house their first week gets fired. I probably should have mentioned that earlier.“). It’s always a good feeling, but because of the recent switch, it made it a little more special to me. Today is a good day.
In all my excitement to enjoy my experience, I got back to the office, sat at my desk and kicked my feet up for a moment. I had a cold glass of water and just sat there. Relaxed. Feeling good that things went off without a hitch and what few bumps we experienced, I was able to handle. I was in the afterglow.
The longer I sat there celebrating my achievement, the more I began to wonder if I was in the after-gloat. Immediately, I stopped what I was doing (ie, nothing) and jolted from my chair. I filled up my water glass again and ran back to my desk. What was I thinking? How could I be so stupid? Why have I neglected this?
You see, I had been relaxing in the afterglow/after-gloat. I was happy, I was excited, and I was proud. And all deservedly so. But I forgot a key element. I had let one crucial item slip right past me in my moment of glory. I forgot the golden rule.
I forgot I needed to continue working so I’d have more business in the future. So I grabbed my phone and started dialing, put my fingers to the keys and started typing – I did what I did every day to get me where I am today. Only I did it with a renewed passion. I knew what the outcome of my work was today. Don’t ever get caught in the afterglow and most certainly avoid the after-gloat and keep working hard. It will only lead to a better, longer glow – a career in real estate, not just a few months toying with it.
photo courtesy of D’Arcy Norman
