Since I was 3 years old, I’ve been fascinated by wheels, when I experienced the trill of speed, I was hooked! I did motocross for a few years but decided to let it go after I broke my hip. Then I raced go karts, but there was not enough excitement. Tried quads and loved it but it was not very practical. Then I found Mountain Biking, the real fun and the amazing lessons began.
MTB has helped me grow and develop a lot of characteristics that I’ve translated into my Real Estate practice. It has also helped me channel my passion for excitement and speed into an activity that has kept me fit and healthy all these years.
Let me share with you what I’ve learned from MTB and how it translates into my practice as a Real Estate Broker and Luxury Realtor in a 5 part series I’ve called “Sweat, Scars & Shift Happens”
The word “fear” is used both in our minds and out loud. Have you ever stood on top of a mountain peak with only feet to spare on either side of the trail where, on one side is sheer cliff face, the other the steepest gut-wrenching trail you’re about to drop into? Knowing that your only way down the mountain is to drop in and trust that your skills and preparation all line up and you make it down in one piece?
Your stomach has butterflies, your palms are sweaty, feels like your heart is in your throat. You then close your eyes, say -I’ve got this- shout “sending in 3…2…1” your mind goes blank, you have tunnel vision and nothing else in the world matters except this moment. Then BOOM you’re at the bottom.
Just moments ago, all you knew and felt was fear, then the adrenaline took over and you are hooting and hollering in excitement knowing that the fear you felt at that peak was nothing but a made up feeling that we use to talk ourselves out of doing things. Fear is also something we feel in everyday life. Fear of failure. Fear of what others think of us. Fear we won’t amount to anything. Fear we won’t make our parents proud. Sometimes we make it up as an excuse and sometimes we learn from a young age that there are certain things we need to be afraid of. Is it made up or is it real though? Why do we feel fear?
In MTB I’ve learned how to harness fear and turn it into motivation to achieve a goal no matter how much it scares me; being able to put that feeling in the back of my head and focus on the task at hand; no distractions, just go! This comes in handy in Real Estate, being able to confidently handle a negotiation, learning to harness the emotion, forward thinking and, with discipline, maneuvering the curves and obstacles, essential to having fun and being safe both in MTB and in business. In addition, planning for the unexpected is also essential; planning which trails and features to approach, organizing the routes to descend based on skill level and experience. This needs to be chosen and envisioned in advance, just like in business, again, based on skill level and experience, which I have plenty of, for a successful transaction every time!
To be continued…
