It was time to defend. Nobody was more prepared.
I stood beneath the Rings at the USA Gymnastics Championships coming fresh off an NCAA Championship title. It was time to defend. Nobody was more prepared. The arena was dark; just a literal spotlight on me as I saluted the judging panel and my name echoed through the arena. I had grown to love the spotlight, I was thoroughly fired up. My coach lifted me to the apparatus and it was on. I was about 80% through one of the best routines of my life. I was in a handstand ready to initiate a forceful flipping element. As I swung down through the bottom, my grip snapped in half. I flew through the air like a ragdoll and luckily didn’t break my neck as my body slammed to the ground. Say goodbye to defending my title. As disappointed as I was, moments like these are important. “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” We’ve all heard this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, or some variation on the theme. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending how you look at it, failure and success are not mutually exclusive, rather, they have a symbiotic relationship. For most people, a good kick in the ass from time to time shows us we’re not immortal and that we ought to continue sharpening our sword. Challenges are not sent our way to destroy us. In fact, it’s the opposite, they’re sent our way to promote and strengthen us. As a real estate professional, we’re the glue that holds a transaction together, sometimes against all odds. It’s not uncommon for a deal to die multiple times before we ultimately scratch and claw our way to the closing table. Spending fifteen years as an elite athlete gave me a PhD in overcoming adversity. It gave me the strength to persevere through the challenges sent my way. As I say, my clients are now the beneficiaries of the work ethic and fortitude developed as a result of my athletic journey. I’d love to be a part of your real estate journey in 2023 and beyond. I’ve trained my entire life for this.
