Curb Your Enthusiasm: Don’t Uncork the 1978 Montrachet Until the Ink is Dry
By Jotham Sederstrom September 12, 2012 7:45 am
reprintsThe buyer’s attorney sheepishly tells you that the buyer misread the property’s description. He thought the building was much larger than what was stated on the setup.
Based on his new understanding of the square footage, he’s no longer interested. He’s out. Finito, Done. Kaput. Like a snowflake melting in the sunshine, all the happy former thoughts of your successful mission swirl down the drain of failed, broken and dismembered deals.
As you struggle to remember all of the reasons why you didn’t choose to be a dentist as your mother had hoped, you peel yourself off the floor and look long and hard into the humbling mirror of disappointment.
The reflection that stares back at you is surprisingly comforting. It’s you. The same talented, skillful and experienced broker as before. Setbacks happen to every broker, owner, investor or attorney. Some things are simply out of your control. It’s not that there won’t be bumps in the road. That’s all part of the process. The art of driving a deal is like driving a boat through a rough current. Sometimes we get seasick, while other times we navigate the waves expertly. Keeping your hands on the steering wheel is the best you can hope for during turbulent times. Keep your focus and stay the course.
If it wasn’t for the waves and disappointments along the way, we would never be able to appreciate our success.
A spiritual healer once reflected that feelings only last eight seconds unless you feed them thoughts. The event of losing the deal was disappointing, but take a pause, don’t personalize it and squeeze out a learning opportunity.
The best remedy is to pick up the phone and make your next call. Get back in the boat, hands on the steering wheel and ride like the wind.
ap@easternconsolidated.com
Adelaide Polsinelli is a veteran real estate professional with more than 25 years of real estate brokerage experience. She is senior director at Eastern Consolidated, an investment sales firm in New York.
