Playing to Win

Playing to Win

Why would anyone play to lose unless they were playing to lose in order to set someone up for a win later.

So here’s the thinking…

I will play almost any game in which I have a chance at winning. If I think I will not have a chance at winning, I don’t want to play. I think that’s what most of us would say about our own philosophies toward winning and losing.

Here’s the problem…

Too many people go into a game not knowing what all the rules are. How does a person expect to win at a game when they don’t know all the rules? What chance would a person have?

And yet, let me repeat, “too many people go into a game not knowing what all the rules are”.

Is a career a game? If it is then… too many people go into the choice of a career and try to make it work in spite of the fact that they don’t know what all the rules are. A perfect example of this and a very common situation is in the real estate business.

Most people entering the field of real estate do not have any idea what it’s all about. They simply think that

1. there is big money to be made
2. The work looks easy enough to do
3. they will be their own boss and independent
4. they will have more time on their hands to lead the kind of life they always wanted

Rose coloured glasses are of no use to anyone if they are not prescription and you can’t get a focused image through them.

1. There is big money only if you have big money to spend on promoting your business and buying your leads through advertising. There is big money if you have the right approach – hard work, if you have the right broker/manager – support, education, tools, systems, and a strong, recognized Brand.
2. The work is easy enough to do if you can afford the backup systems and personnel to take the day-today admin grind off your shoulders and leave you free to produce leads that bring in money.
3. Will you be own boss, independent, responsible, accountable. Are you focused enough to do the work and not make excuse after excuse for why you can do it later, tomorrow or not at all? Would you hire yourself knowing how you approach this job?
4. You will have more time on your hands only if you are either very focused, in control and working from a business plan, or if you are not doing enough to make a living let alone make real money.

A career is no game. It’s serious. It affects not only you but also your family and relationships. And we cannot expect to win (to succeed) in our career if we don’t know the rules going in.

In real estate, we take courses that teach us how not to get into trouble… rules… courses given to us by the Ontario Real Estate Association, which is the prerequisite to getting licensed.

But they do not teach us how to make money, how to succeed. That’s the Broker’s job, the Manager’s job.

Rule number one – find the right Broker/Manager.

If you miss Rule #1, you will not get the other rules of the game. You will lose. Guaranteed.

Sam Green, Broker of Record

HomeLife Classic Realty Inc., Brokerage