Wherever you are, there you are! You may not find that statement deep or profound but, it is most certainly true. The place in which we find ourselves in life is exactly where we should be. We should make the most of it. In other words, we should "love what we do and do what we love!"

Do you love what you do? Did you ever? Will you ever? If you have temporarily lost that passion that made you join the real estate industry in the first place, you can get it back.

The first step in developing a passion for your chosen profession is to ask yourself this question: "What are all the things I love about my job?"

In real estate, every day is a new and different challenge. We get to help people with the biggest investments of their lives. It can be financially rewarding and it is rarely ever boring. The list goes on and on. If, upon asking yourself this question, you can not come up with any things to love, it might be an excellent time to get back into civilian life! This list should be reviewed often, especially at those times when you are asking yourself "Why?"

The next step in staying vocationally passionate is to have goals. I can hear you now. "Not this again. Another self-help expert telling me about goals." There is no way around it. Goals are crucial and mandatory. Not only do they have to be specific, obtainable, written down or visualized, they have to be something you want for you.

You could have all the goals in the world, yet without the commitment of bri nging them to fruition, they are just not going to happen. We, being human, have it in our nature to be challenged or stretched. If we stay in what might be called our "comfort zone," boredom soon sets in. If, in our jobs, we have reached the pinnacle, where there are no more challenges, our days are numbered. Unless, of course, we set new goals. Goals force us to grow and commit to their attainment. Always "plan to work and work your plan."

The final cog in the wheel of loving what we do is to minimize negatives in our lives. Everyday, we come in contact with potential "bad seeds" in the garden of life. Your positive attitude is the most effective weed killer ever produced - and environmentally friendly, too!

Make the decision to limit your association with negative people and develop relationships with those who are positive. In sales, there is no way around rejection. In real estate, if we are working, rejection may even be a daily occurrence. It is the nature of the beast. The beauty is, that it is our choice, and ours alone, as to how this negativity will affect us. Focus on the woes and the no’s and that is the way it goes. Focus on the triumphs and the yes’s and you have a career full of successes.

People like to be associated with people doing what they love. The energy and enthusiasm you generate will be contagious. Not only to your co-workers, but your clients, as well. The next step is up to you. Take it.

Make the decision today to "love what you do and do what you love."

Published: January 6, 1999

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