Three weeks ago I was emotionally down in the dumps. It’s not a good place to be for someone in my business because customers can see past a pretend smile and they prefer doing business with people who are happy instead of an Eeyore. My sadness and frustration was evident after a deal fell apart because a buyer got cold feet and decided not to go through with their commitment recorded on the signed contract. What a frustration it is when one says they will do one thing and then do another. I consider it dishonest. People should let their yes be yes and their no be no. The buyer was angry they did not get all of their EMD deposit back. (By the way, as a Broker I don’t decide who gets it, but that is for another blog.) I was frustrated because I spent one hundred hours working on the transaction. Considering what I usually get paid an hour, I earned thousands but got paid nothing because of the buyer’s dishonesty. To top it off, it was one of five transactions in two months to fall apart for me. (Because of a buyer’s lead based paint fear, a bank underwriter was not able to deliver what a bank originator paid, a buyer buying an expensive car on credit right before closing etc.) It was a tough week and I had a good reason to be unhappy.
But isn’t this blog about a happy real estate broker? No. It's about a joyful real estate broker. The difference? Happiness is determined by the circumstances immediately around a person and it changes with the wind. Joy is based on the deepest of circumstances. For me, joy comes from knowing these circumstances:
- The One, true, living God created this incredible universe, including me.
- He knows my name and loves me deeply.
After that, what circumstances can rob me of peace and joy? It’s true that I won't have a smile on my face every time you meet me. But if I am able to keep in mind the most important circumstances in my life; my perspective of the day’s events will be much better. We have good reason to work and carry on with joy.