Marriage, surfing, and real estate. You ask, what do these three things have in common? You can read all of the books, watch all of the instructional videos take surfing lessons, get pre-marriage counseling, hire a real estate coach, but with all three you have to actually get in the water, walk down the aisle or sit at a closing table to get the full experience. With all three it takes perseverance, patience and commitment.
Patience, especially if you are an east coast surfer, we get about 15-20 pretty good days a year. If you golf, you can probably golf comfortably 200 days a year. With surfing you are trying to ride a wave that moves and changes shape as well as taking into account the wind changes, tidal shifts, swell direction, crowd factor and shifting sandbars. With marriage, as well as all relationships, patience is incredebily important to achieve balance and happiness. If you decide to have kids, patience takes on a whole new level, well, at least for me, with 3 kids, it did. Patience is a crucial key to real estate. You might as well pick a new profession if tolerance doesn’t come natural. Every transaction, client, home, municipality are each distinctive and different and all create different type ob obstacles.
Perseverance in marriage likens to the old saying, it is better to give than to receive. Sticking together through thick and thin is the simplest prescription for a long marriage. Perseverance in surfing takes on a new light. Surfing has been likened to one of the most difficult sports to master. I started snowboarding 19 years ago and within 2 days I was proficient (I could get down the mountain with out falling most times). With surfing I have been doing it for the better part of 41 years and still feel like a beginner on many days. Persevering in both takes a vow to stay connected whether it be to your spouse or to the sport of surfing. Perseverance in surfing is best summed up from an old saying that says, “if you used to surf, you never did”. Selling real estate is the only job I know you can work 73 hours a week for 6 months and not receive a paycheck. I have often heard that the work you do today is the paycheck that you receive 3-4 months from now. Similar to marriage, sticking it out is one of the keys to being successful in real estate.
Commitment can come in many forms. Commitment for the long haul when it comes to marriage. Commitment, in the moment, when it comes to surfing. Surfing takes determined, sharp focus in waves of consequence. Commitment, when your paddling into an 8 ft wave, takes 100% commitment, there is no room for hesitation. Any hesitation will put you getting pitched over the falls. Similar to marriage, if your not 100% committed for the long haul the results often end up not so good. Marriage needs 100% commitment for a successful and balanced relationship. In the end, a happy wife is a happy life. Commitment to a successful real estate career involves diving in with both feet. It isn’t a job that can be done part time or even ¾ time. My clients enlist me to guide them through the process of buying, selling or building, normally, the biggest investment they are involved with. I feel a duty to be 100% commited to my clients and my profession.
For more insights about the Outer Banks and surrounding area please feel free to contact Ken or Pete with Best Buy OBX of Outer Banks Blue.
Pete Salitore
Pete (252) 202-4868
pete@outerbanksblue.com
or
Ken Baittinger
Ken (252) 305-5255
ken@outerbanksblue.com
