Did you know that the Fourth of July is a very real estate holiday? I love celebrating this time of year, and I’m especially grateful for my readers who live the Spirit of 1776 every day in our industry.
Let me tell you why.
(You can listen to this week’s article below, too!)
Birth of Country, Birth of This Newsletter
July 4th is not only the celebration of the birth of America. It’s the birth of this newsletter, too.
Long-time readers will remember that Always Inspiring arose as part of my personal journey back to good health, by giving myself the task of writing to you a couple times a week. By writing about all the good things I see happening in this industry, from people like you, combined with the recurring Good News Friday wrap-ups and sharing of best practices, we created this place where the inspiring parts of our industry and world get the attention they (and we) deserve.
By July 2023, we went from 58 views per newsletter to 2000+ views and more than 2700 readers. Today, we’re over 7,000 readers, 230 articles, plus e-books, videos and regular webinars (have you checked out the recent recordings?)
So, happy birthday to us, and America. We’ve both come a long way.
… and the Property Part still matters
Some people say that the work of Always Inspiring would fit any audience. I think that’s true: focusing on the positive, optimistic approach to creating a great career, serving clients, and making a difference has always been part of my life’s philosophy.
But the fact that I get to do this work in the real estate industry isn’t an accident.
When I got my degree in philosophy, one of the most fascinating books I read was John Locke’s Second Treatise on Government. That’s where the phrase “life, liberty and estates” was first coined, to describe the rightful work of government to protect these core values for citizens. Only later did Thomas Jefferson expand the idea to “… and happiness” which wasn’t a bad idea; but it left an important piece out of the discussion.
Because life and liberty are very hard to secure without the right to property.
When our country was young, one of the most important codifications of law came from property rights fiercely protected in our Constitution's 5th and 14th Amendments. The "Due Process Clauses" explicitly state that no person can be deprived of "life, liberty, or property, without due process of law". We’ve always considered property to be on par with life and liberty because only when we can be in full control of the things we produce - the results of our hard work - can we consider ourselves free to live any life, and pursue any objectives we desire.
Or dream.
Which is why I think we came to equate home ownership with the American dream.
What real estate professionals do matters
For over 35 years, I’ve shared a consistent belief that what we do matters. It’s important, not just helpful. Our careers are noble, not merely productive. That one day in the life of a real estate professional, something clicks and —
We stop prioritizing deals, and focus instead on every opportunity to make a difference.
Like Locke and Jefferson and other leaders across our history, we see our purpose driven by ideals, not just output.
It’s why we have built an industry around cooperative competition rather than cut-throat behaviors.
We’ve created associations where people can come together and learn, laugh, and lead the industry through good times and bad.
We’ve designed multiple listing services where openness and transparency have lifted all members, by creating network effects and multiplying our efforts. Somewhere between 70-90% of sales in our industry incorporate some form of co-broke effort: two professionals from different companies decide that it’s better to work together rather than fail apart.
So you can see why I’m so passionate about real estate, because I truly believe in its positive effects: Every closing is just another way to help someone pursue and secure their life and liberty through the use of property.
What a privilege, then, to be a REALTOR® who plays a part in nearly 20% of America’s GDP….
…. and makes a difference in the dreams of millions of friends and neighbors every day.
Looking Back, Looking Ahead
On birthdays, we often take time to look back and reflect. On our country’s 250th birthday, we have many stories and accomplishments to celebrate, and many reminders of what makes our nation great. We’ll display our flag and marvel at fireworks and listen to great reminders of the ideals that call us to manifest our best.
You can do that for yourself, too, by simply recalling the lives you’ve impacted over the years of your career. The people you’ve helped, mentored, and collaborated with, not just because it was your job, but it was the right thing to do.
Back in July of 2023, I wrote:
Reimagine your job: not only the tasks, the processes, the deals, but the message you want to spread as you do it.
Ensure moments with others leave a mark before, during and after, doing a deal. Develop a personal philosophy that says, My job is to become a moment of time well spent for everyone I meet. Not worrying about the ends - capturing leads or collecting followers. Concentrate on getting the message heard by:
Putting a smile on someone’s face.
Having a conversation worth remembering.
Making someone’s day.
Becoming more than a transaction.
Those sentiments are more important today than ever. At a time when the industry is seemingly intent on tearing itself apart through lawsuits and accusations and political manipulations, it’s critical to remember what we’re here to do.
In Locke’s Second Treatise on Government, he writes:
“The great and chief end, therefore, of men’s uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of their property.”
I think it could easily have said, “of uniting into industries” and “putting themselves into cooperation” because for more than 100 years, that’s how our real estate industry has made a difference.
So this weekend, when you put your hand over your heart and salute the Flag and watch the fireworks to celebrate our country’s birthday, be sure to give yourself a little credit too. The Spirit of 1776 is replenished every time you, me and everyone else in our wonderful industry help someone get the keys to much more than a house:
To their dreams!
Happy Birthday, America.
— M
Matthew, love this! You are always inspiring.
Wishing you a very Happy 4th of July weekend.