"There is someone out there that needs my help."

This house of cards construct we call real estate, places so many people under great stress with long lists of uncertainties created by those unseen and unknown. Every one, understandably demanding, WHEN, and all you can offer is, "When the deed has been corrected, tomorrow or next week!"

How do I stay motivated?

Knowing, "If it were easy, anyone could do it."

Knowing, "It is not the transaction that endures, but the intersect of the lives involved.'

Knowing "I have a choice every minute of every day to remove from the souls of those I encounter, the dust of the world that obscures their vision, hides their goals."

If I don't do it, who will? 

Oh yes.  But, I might choose another store.  HD is sort of my competition.

We all are human - and this is not so uncommon feeling.

We got to 'Just do it'!

 I just had that same issue this week. Trying to stay motivated when the real estate world was crumbling around me. I told someone I had to keep going because I'm too old now to be a stripper. lol. They said, "yea, if you got on a stripper pole at your age, you'd probably break a hip"! 

Partner with someone...conference call or meet in person on a regular basis ...kick each other as needed !

Yes, and one thing that has helped me is getting a partner. I can clock out and know he'll be on call for anything urgent. 

I have felt that way, but when I look at the overall benifits it fits my lifestyle so well that I don't get tied up in the tough times...I just start making calls to MAKE something happen.

Dennis a few years back I was working 2nd job at mill to get through tough times up here.  Realized I had to make a choice if I wanted to do RE full time.  If I get discourage all I have to do is look back at those hours of wood coming at me on a merciless conveyor.  I am very happy to make a living helping people find their dreams, and be able to move at the end of a day.  With every job comes the downside.  The more we realize those spots the better we can avoid them or work through them.  Keep your head up.  Mark

Oh, Dennis!  I think there is a lot of that going around these days!  I'm hoping that the warm weather is going to help me make a major attitude adjustment.

I have been self employed since I was 22 years old, so,  it would be difficult to get a job unless I was in complete control of my time and income. (That's probably not going to occur) My motivation is my freedom, to determine with whom and what opportunities I choose to work and ultimately determine how I allocate my cash flow. When you lose your excitement for your being, you're essentially IMO, dead.  

When I feel that way, it means it IS time to turn it off.  Yes, I do get tired of seemingly being on call for everyone all the time, so I take a couple of hours off.  Or a day.  I partnered up a few years ago for this reason.  We both discovered the need for letting it go without sacrificing excellent quality for our clients.  Now if one of us needs to check out, we can.  It keeps me sane. 

About 20 years ago I considered going for a corporate job with a steady paycheck, but I am long past that, if I need a day off I take it off knowing that my team can get along fine without me.

There are days like that.

Annette nailed this one!

One day I am going to collect a paycheck, not really. I have never worked for a paycheck, can't see myself getting one at this point. Stick with it.

Dennis, I do love the freedom of this career as it is very different from teaching and coaching at the high school level for 31 years. I will probably continue until age 70!

I have felt that way a few times, but then I hear all my clients talk about how bad they are treated or how tough it is working for someone else.  Sometimes I even try to thing of  few rough times I had when I worked for someone else.  For example, I had a client that was yelled at and their job was threatened because they were 3 minutes late.   The memory that cinches it, was when my step-daughter was killed in an auto accident, the HR director made a big deal that I couldn't be paid if I took off.  He said, it's not your blood relative anyway.  I love my Real Estate job.

Dennis, each of us has a button we push when pressure nears a boiling point.  My button may not fit your temperment or drive, but you have one.  Often I think of old wise sayings from my dad or some other thinker.  When I read your post, first to my mind was dad's expression when things were tilting against us.  He would say, matter of factly, "Well, ain't nothing going to be all right anyway." Then he put his shoulder back to the wheel and moved forward.  To my knowledge, dad had no "QUIT" button--he was a depression baby.  When I asked, Dad, how are you going to do that?  He replied "With main strength and awkwardness, I guess.  May as well get started," would be end of conversation.

Willie Gayle, motivational speaker and salesman, and author of SEVEN SECONDS TO SUCCESS IN SELLING tells the story of drawing water with a primer pump as a boy.  When he would tire out and let go, his dad would quickly hit a couple more strokes and draw water.  His point: keep pumping, the next stoke could be that sale you want or need.  Keep pumping!

We know "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again."  And, I am sure you have heard these two: " When the going gets tough, the tough get going."  My favorite is "Quitters never win, and Winnwers never quit."

Good luck!

Yes, but then I think that I will HAVE to get up every morning and be at work at a certain time.  Now it's my choice!

Always remember; "this too shall pass" and "that's why we get paid the big bucks!"  There is never a dull moment in real estate and the challenges we face only makes us better at what we do :o)

I don't know if the grass is greener at Home Depot, but they do sell lawn fertilizer that will make grass greener.

I just had a week like that. But I think Barnes and Noble, and Starbucks would be fun. Some days I do get discouraged. I take a bathl, drink a glass of wine, and go to bed early. I usually feel better in the morning!