Norman Vincent Who?
I recently picked up a copy of Norman Vincent Peale's book, The Power of Positive Thinking. I know what you're thinking, "yeah right, that's useful". In our age of cynicism and negativity, it’s easy to dismiss this book as a fantasy. But I can tell you that, while Mr. Peale was a religious man and the book is based on religious faith, it has many good messages for those who are NOT of the religious persuasion.
Reading through it I had a small epiphany . . . or two. I consider myself to be fairly optimistic, I was after all in the optimist club and tend to see the glass half full, however I didn't realize I was also making a classic mistake. While it is always my intent to focus on what I do have and be grateful for the important things, family, friends, good health, I realized I was also focusing on what I didn't have. I tended to focus all of my attention on my worries, not having enough money to pay bills, worrying about finding new clients, etc. While these are everyday things, it dawned on me, I SHOULD be focusing my thoughts on things like being happy, enjoying the day, and making sure those around me are happy. Taking the focus off of myself and turning it to others.
This led to my next epiphany. Giving. I know that's not exactly an epiphany, but it was for me. Mr. Peale discusses giving, which to me meant donating money. But really, it means giving of yourself, your time and money. I often donate money and my time to charity's and local events, but in the book, it means even more. It means giving, even when you don't think you have anything to give. No matter what you have, there are those who have less.
How does that apply to real estate you may ask? Well, for one, I'm an agent, I have information which can be vital to someone staying in their home, making myself accessible to people is a start. Getting information out there to help someone stay in their home, modify their loan or just get their bills down. Being a real estate agent isn’t just about selling someone a home or selling someone's home; it’s about helping people make the biggest financial decisions ever, and helping them keep their financial heads above water.
It also applies to giving of yourself, lending a shoulder to cry on when the bank threatens to foreclose, lending an ear or lending a hand. Giving because you want to give someone something back, not because you are going to get something out of it.
It’s about doing the right thing when the situation presents itself, or just asking if someone needs help. I know these things sound simple, and personally I feel they shouldn't have been an epiphany, but its easy to get caught up in our hectic day to day lives, especially when financial concerns are on everyone's minds.
So, while it's not some great financial advice and it certainly won't provide a magic fix for all that ails us, I recommend reading the Power of Positive Thinking. You may be surprised at how it makes you feel, or you could have your own epiphany!
Reading through it I had a small epiphany . . . or two. I consider myself to be fairly optimistic, I was after all in the optimist club and tend to see the glass half full, however I didn't realize I was also making a classic mistake. While it is always my intent to focus on what I do have and be grateful for the important things, family, friends, good health, I realized I was also focusing on what I didn't have. I tended to focus all of my attention on my worries, not having enough money to pay bills, worrying about finding new clients, etc. While these are everyday things, it dawned on me, I SHOULD be focusing my thoughts on things like being happy, enjoying the day, and making sure those around me are happy. Taking the focus off of myself and turning it to others.
This led to my next epiphany. Giving. I know that's not exactly an epiphany, but it was for me. Mr. Peale discusses giving, which to me meant donating money. But really, it means giving of yourself, your time and money. I often donate money and my time to charity's and local events, but in the book, it means even more. It means giving, even when you don't think you have anything to give. No matter what you have, there are those who have less.
How does that apply to real estate you may ask? Well, for one, I'm an agent, I have information which can be vital to someone staying in their home, making myself accessible to people is a start. Getting information out there to help someone stay in their home, modify their loan or just get their bills down. Being a real estate agent isn’t just about selling someone a home or selling someone's home; it’s about helping people make the biggest financial decisions ever, and helping them keep their financial heads above water.
It also applies to giving of yourself, lending a shoulder to cry on when the bank threatens to foreclose, lending an ear or lending a hand. Giving because you want to give someone something back, not because you are going to get something out of it.
It’s about doing the right thing when the situation presents itself, or just asking if someone needs help. I know these things sound simple, and personally I feel they shouldn't have been an epiphany, but its easy to get caught up in our hectic day to day lives, especially when financial concerns are on everyone's minds.
So, while it's not some great financial advice and it certainly won't provide a magic fix for all that ails us, I recommend reading the Power of Positive Thinking. You may be surprised at how it makes you feel, or you could have your own epiphany!
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