Bob Meyer

Stress....it can be your worst enemy or your biggest motivator. The reaction we have to stress will determine which one of those it will become in your life. When a situation arises that doesn't have a natural flow, a situation that could create stress, how will you react? What are you going to do to keep that situation from being the point of contention in your life? Will the stress take control of you or will you take control of the situation?

When we are tested through life's trials will we buckle and take on the "woe is me" mentality, telling our sob story trying to find pity?? Or will you use those trials as an opportunity to grow as a person, a business owner, or an employee.....no matter your station, you will be tested, will you pass or fail? We are not failures just because we go through a trial, its how we handle that obstacle that determines our worth. How valuable do you want to be?

Not letting a problem or road block become your entire existence is important. Don't let the actual problem identify you, but rather be identified by how you maintained yourself through the adversity.

A photograph is worth so much more than just words, it stands for not only what is in the picture but what IS NOT in the picture. YOU are NOT in the picture, but whether you are present or not, that picture is speaking for you. What do you want it to say in your stead? What would you want the picture to tell potential clients about you? Quite honestly some of the pictures I have seen, are screaming "I don't really care about what this picture says". Now I do understand that weather may prevent us from getting a great picture and we need to get something, but don't let your pictures show laziness or apathy. Even if what we are photographing isn't the greatest room in the history of rooms, there is always something you can do.

This is an example of a very bad photo, to say the least, but not only do I see a part of a bathroom that isn't extremely attractive, but what stands out to me is the photographer. They saw all this before they even posted it. If you don't want to flush it, put the lid down at least (which honestly, should be done anyway), they could've put the toilet paper on the sink that they refused to back up a foot for, they could've taken the extra 30 seconds to crop out the blue hockey puck air fresheners stuck in the middle of the wall, and perhaps taken, what looks like a steering wheel, out of the tub and set it on the floor that they didn't want to show us, but then again, they are busy realtors, after all it isn't their house....or is it??? Let us pretend that with every photo we take that a little picture of our face is down in the corner with the caption "photo taken by ...(insert headshot)..." If I was shopping for a house, I would assume that the care this agent took to photo this house is the same care he would handle me with and quite frankly, I don't care how great the house could've been....I wouldn't go past this photo. This is right where my journey ends.

Staying ahead of the competition isn't only about being better at what they are good at, but knowing their definate weaknesses as well. When you really think about it, when someone is good at something it is a motivation for us to be better at it than they are, so we end up not even noticing, sometimes, when they are completely lacking in a certain area, just because we are so focused on the other area.

What do your details say about you? Who's house are you trying to sell? Are you selling the house or is the house selling you? Or both? Most of the time the house can't just sell itself, someone has to speak on its behalf, someone has to put it out there. Someone CHOSE you to do that. When you advertise a house, your face and your name IS on it and the way you represent your house is the way the house will represent you......so smile and ...."Say Cheeeeese!!!"

If you were trying to bait a catfish into hopping onto your hook, you probably would want to make sure you are using the bait that is the most tempting and produces the most results right?!....Using a certain bait for catfish isn't necassarily the same bait you would use to catch a cod.

How well do you know what you are trying to catch? And if you had your line dangling in the water next to someone who was trying to catch the same fish, how would you be better than them. What about your bait would be more enticing? It just takes a little effort, maybe some research and an observant heart to the needs of those we want to catch. What might be a "selling point" (bait) for you, may not be something someone else is looking for.

How impressed would you be if you went to take a car for a test drive and when you got back the sales person already had the exact model in the color you wanted, washed and detailed and ready for you to take just by PAYING ATTENTION to you and listening to what you wanted???......Lets face it, its hard to let go of our own perspective sometimes and just see things through someone else's.

Lets go the extra mile to make sure people feel important and well taken care of, think it through before you jump into it. Don't just offer to be offering, present your offering as something they have always dreamed of. Lets be THAT observant, its the only thing that will set you apart from the chump standing next to you trying to reel in YOUR fish!!!

If you were trying to bait a catfish into hopping onto your hook, you probably would want to make sure you are using the bait that is the most tempting and produces the most results right?!....Using a certain bait for catfish isn't necassarily the same bait you would use to catch a cod.

How well do you know what you are trying to catch? And if you had your line dangling in the water next to someone who was trying to catch the same fish, how would you be better than them. What about your bait would be more enticing? It just takes a little effort, maybe some research and an observant heart to the needs of those we want to catch. What might be a "selling point" (bait) for you, may not be something someone else is looking for.

How impressed would you be if you went to take a car for a test drive and when you got back the sales person already had the exact model in the color you wanted, washed and detailed and ready for you to take just by PAYING ATTENTION to you and listening to what you wanted???......Lets face it, its hard to let go of our own perspective sometimes and just see things through someone else's.

Lets go the extra mile to make sure people feel important and well taken care of, think it through before you jump into it. Don't just offer to be offering, present your offering as something they have always dreamed of. Lets be THAT observant, its the only thing that will set you apart from the chump standing next to you trying to reel in YOUR fish!!!

Its so great that feeling you get when you first start out with something, it has that new freshness that gives us hope that great things are to come and what we see is the potential something has and to us the possibilities could be endless. As we go along those paths and sometimes we aren't seeing immediate response, the newness starts wearing off, it is easy to get discouraged and let ourselves feel that brightness start to get a little foggy. As the lights of our "hope" start getting dim its harder to see all those "endless possibilities" we had such high expectations for.

When we are focused on the things that AREN'T happening, we cannot appreciate the things that ARE happening. The little things that sneak under the radar that are the turning points that eventually lead to great change! Lets not take out any of the rungs on our ladder just to get there faster, it just makes it harder to get there. We need to appreciate every step we take in the right direction, no matter how small it is. Small steps will eventually lead to higher ground. When things you once saw potential in are now distant specs of light...think of all the things you go through to get there as tools that will help us embrace what is to come. Just because we think we are emotionally and physically prepared for something, doesn't mean we are mentally ready for it. We need each and every step.

When you think you have nothing left to be grateful for, there is ALWAYS something.....could be oxygen... freedom..... even curling up on the couch and watching your favorite "feel-good" movie, you can always find something because just when you think it can't possibly get any darker....the sun HAS to come up.