The Joy of Problems
When you realize you've done this before, and you're ready for more
One day I woke up to discover I was the old man in the room.
I was looking at a problem and realized: I’ve done this before. Headwinds in the economy, disrupted industry, chaotic landscape? Check, check, check! A few new twists, but nothing so different. Certainly, I’ve handled much worse. There were even murder hornets involved.
Which is why I smiled big when someone asked, “Just what are we supposed to do?”
And I knew exactly what to say.
Let me tell you a story.
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When the Inspirer Gets Inspired
Recently I caught up with a colleague who'd started a new job.
I almost canceled the lunch after a morning spent talking clients off the ledge. I was feeling drained and worried I’d be bad company.
Nonetheless, I drove to the restaurant.
As my colleague told me about her new job, I felt myself relax. The hurdles she described were funny. She was enjoying dealing with them. Every quirk of her new company made us shake our heads, smile, and nod knowingly.
I was cheered up by her enthusiasm for what most people would call complaints.
A Refreshing Attitude
“I'm so glad we had lunch,” I said as we left the restaurant.
“I’m so glad you didn’t cancel,” she replied.
“Actually,” I said, “It was invigorating to talk to someone who doesn't need to be talked off the ledge. It’s refreshing to see you excited about solving problems.”
“You’re right. I feel energized by these challenges; I've solved similar ones at other companies. I know I have the skills and experience to deal with them. I’m looking forward to figuring them out in my new role," she said.
"The joy of dealing with problems," I smiled.
Back to the Future
That’s why it’s fun to be the old man in the room right now.
The one who knows how all the current chaos works out because I’ve done it before. If you think this market is tough, try 2008. If you think these interest rates are high, try 1991 (or 1985, where my mentor learned). If you think private equity money is some new problem, you might recall that the NRT acquired 150 companies by 1999 (in less than 3 years).
I was around for that ride, too.
In other words, nothing that’s happening in real estate today is all that new. It might just be new to you. Or your colleagues, or your clients. But if you think figuring out how to add a few new agency fields to your MLS is a big deal, you should have been there when we put the entire MLS online in the first place.
Using a proprietary modem, dot matrix printer, and dongle key (look that one up).
The T-Shirt Still Fits
The point is: what’s old is new again.
And that makes it even more fun to handle today’s headwinds. What, we’re worried about only 4.5 million sales? Or interest rates in the 7s? Or getting buyers to sign an agency agreement (go look up open listings, which were still popular when I started).
These are the easy problems, my friend. And you better have fun with them - because there are only a few times in life you face the same issues a second time and get to say —
Been there; done that; got the t-shirt; and it still fits perfectly!
The Joy of Problems
Today’s headwinds are blips compared to what this industry has survived over the years: three recessions, a full-blown financial meltdown, a foreclosure crisis, banks entering the industry, online portals, algorithmic buyers, discount brokers, interest-rate spikes, a global pandemic, a colossal lawsuit —
And even murder hornets.
It’s only when we realize that solving them is what we do for a living, that we stop being afraid. And start to see challenges as signals to step up and share your experience. Suddenly, it's not a drag to deal with a downturn. It’s an opportunity to solve it just like before:
Successfully!
That’s when you’ve found the fun again
"We must rediscover the joy of problems," I reminded myself after lunch that day.
Because the real question isn't: What’s the market going to do next?
The real question is: What are YOU going to do?
Here are four more ways to find the fun of dealing with challenges. Unlock your problem-solving abilities with these simple techniques and bonus tips. Don’t forget this favorite post, too:
👇👇👇👇 Keep Reading for Four Ways to Seek Answers with Pleasure
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