The first functioning mechanical gears to be discovered in a living organism were reported in Science by University of Cambridge zoologists. These working biological gears are found in the hind legs of the leafhopper. These insects, which mainly hop around on European climbing ivy are only a couple of millimeters in length, but with one mighty jump they can spring forward more than a meter at a velocity of up to 3.9 meters per second. As noted in Popular Mechanics, “In 2 milliseconds, <the leafhopper> has bulleted skyward, accelerating at nearly 400 g’s—a rate more than 20 times what a human body can withstand! Imagine what would happen if their back legs didn’t push off simultaneously!” As the legs unfurl to power the jump, lead author Malcolm Burrows says, “both have to move at exactly the same time. If they didn’t, the animal would start to spiral out of control.” What is reported is a perfectly functioning, finely tuned, irreducibly complex mechanism for propelling these tiny animals safely through the air until they get big enough to go gearless. At that point, they jettison their gears and move on with their lives.
What can those of us in the EXIT Realty family learn from this most interesting creature so we don’t end up spiraling out of control as we pursue our personal and professional goals? First and foremost, ask yourself this question: When was the last time you “went gearless”? Going gearless, means relinquishing some control so that you and your team can explore possibilities for your personal and professional futures. When would NOW be the right time to remove the training wheels from your mind and take your office for a test drive? Is your office a perfectly functioning and finely tuned machine capable of performing under such conditions? Would your office “going gearless” place you on the cover of SUCCESS Magazine or on the cover of the latest installment of “Crash and Burn”? These are fundamental questions that must be answered if you are going to turn your real estate dreams into reality in 2014!
3 ways to Go Gearless in 2014 and NEVER LOOK BACK!
1. Create an Office “To-Be” Listing. A To-Be Listing is a Mission/Purpose Statement. Have it printed, framed and hung above the exit door of your office. Every time you or a member of your team leaves your office, tap the frame with your hand. By tapping the physical frame, you automatically neuro-associate your mind to the bigger picture, literally! I promise you, this is the most important “Listing” you will ever take the time to create. This single action step could catapult your office to heights you never knew were possible.
2. Apply Wabi-Sabi. This is a Japanese principle which reminds us that true beauty always comes with a dash of disorder! Every movement in a Japanese Tea Ceremony is a model of precision and meticulous preparation. However, the teacups themselves are cracked and imperfect. Strive for excellence and stop trying to be perfect! Spend more time scaling mountains of real estate knowledge and experience and learn to sidestep valleys of market boredom and idleness! Don’t worry about every single step being perfect. Take your time and actually enjoy the climb. You’ll arrive at the top soon enough and the view from the peak will be fabulous!
3. Bridge the gap. There is an external perception that potential clients or customers have of your office, then, there is the internal reality of your office. You must learn to bridge the gap between the two. If you want your office to be perceived as the best real estate option for the community, then you must become the best real estate option for the community! Are you in the business of selling homes to people or do you facilitate the realization of the American or Canadian dream of home ownership for the real estate consumer? Those are two very different questions and will absolutely produce two very different results. Sounds so simple, right? Remember, life is simple, it’s just not easy!
Going gearless is a mindset. It is a way of looking at the world with a fresh set of eyes. Just like nature created evolutionary training wheels for leafhoppers in the form of biological gears, she also created the tools to disengage the training wheels inside our mind. Apply these three principles in 2014 and you will be well on your way to “going gearless”, enjoying the ride of your life inside the EXIT office of your dreams!
Live the dream, everyday!
About EXIT Realty’s Focus on Good Health
The statements made in this article have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. None of the information presented is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
