Embrace the Ugly

SO I got into a little funk lately... driving around Clovis and I see all of those pretty Keller Williams signs, pretty deep maroon with gorgeous pictures of the agents... flowing script lettering....and I got envious.

I mean, I can't join KW. I am an owner in a competing brokerage (Weichert Realtors- The 505 Group) even though I appreciate KW's values and customer-centric attitude towards house sales which is on the same plane with Weichert's God-Family-Work beliefs - we are good there. They have great advice, planning, transaction management, support, education, incentives.... I love my company I just hate their signs..

After hearing 10x ... your husband saying, "Boy, your signs are ugly, boy those other signs look good" you start to wonder... Maybe I can change my company's signs and I started doing research.

Weichert has had the same signs for a long time. We have approved signs and we cannot deviate from the plan. They are a proven marketing tool and, I think, can even be seen from space.  Our signs are bright yellow, not mustard, not buttercup, but a bright Lemon/school bus-ish Yellow. They say Weichert - Really Big and they are clear and very businesslike. No pretty here.

And I started to think... What is the point of the sign? Why is it there, anyway?
TO GET NOTICED! Not to blend harmoniously into it's surroundings, not to enhance the looks of a  neighborhood, but to say, "Hey! I'm for sale!  Buy Me!  LOOK! and after thinking about it... they do that. You cant drive down the street and ignore them, you don't drive down the street and say, ahhh.. you say Oh! Look at that! They are selling their house. You might even say wow, what an ugly sign but you noticed it.... and I guess that's the point.

So for the time being I guess I'll embrace the ugly and place my yellow signs around Clovis proudly. They announce to the world that this house is for sale by a professional and I guess I'm good with that. #Weichert #embracetheugly

Quicksand - Dont let it paralyze you.

I don't know about you, but when work starts piling end up I tend to retreat into my happy place . Ok, it's not so happy. I turn grumpy and tired and start pointing out everyone else's flaws rather than dealing with my own.
Nothing significant gets done. Only the bare minimum of maintenance makes life bearable and prevents EPA action. Inboxes become fuller, things stagnate and growth and improvement simply does not happen.
The only way to float out of the mess I create is to pick one spot, whether it is on my desk or in my mind and force myself to focus. To accomplish ONE thing. Whether it is filing that stack of papers or taking 1 online class....deleting mail from my inbox or grabbing a washcloth and cleaning a particular dusty window sill.
Once that one thing is accomplished the light breaks through the clouds and I focus on the next ONE task and soon my office is running efficiently, my desk is clean, my transactions are organized. It is almost miraculous. If I spend the day planning how to dig myself out - more dirt gets piled on and if I'm not careful I go do something deadly like take a nap or read a book. But when I grab my spoon and start shoveling... I'm closer to the place I want to be.