Remember the story of Chicken Little? Oddly enough, this is the only book I have saved from my childhood. And from the ragged look of it, you can tell I loved this story. I've been thinking of this "Sky is falling" theory lately... there are plenty of reasons to despair in our industry, but there are also many reasons to hang in there and ride out the storm.
I recently read a great article in Jeffrey Gitomer's Sales Caffeine by Robin Sieger. Here is the part I found most interesting.
"I can’t remember the magazine, but it was about nine years ago that I read a fascinating article in which four billionaires were interviewed. The one thing they had in common was they were all over 80 years of age. The interviewer basically asked them about the 20th century from a business point of view. The four interviewees said they had lived through a number of recessions, and one estimated in the 20th century there had been eight periods of recession. They all saw them as occupational hazards.
One of them gave an analogy based on a love of sailing. He said when the wind blows in, you get the sails up and travel fast and far. When the storm approaches, you take in the sails, make the ship safe and hang on. He added when you sense the worst of the storm has passed, you get your sails back up as fast as you can and get going. The biggest indicator of hope is that after the storm comes a period of calm and opportunity that you must never lose sight of.
For many of you, there is stormy weather ahead -- how severe and how long it will last I don’t know. I only know that I will keep my eye keenly on the horizon and the moment I sense the storm is breaking start, I’ll put up all the sails I can. In business, recessions come and go just as opportunities come and go, but you must never lose sight of the opportunities that the storms often wash up on the shore." Click here tro read the article in full.
I think this aptly describes what our industry is experiencing. But the storm will subside and the sun will come out (tomorrow). Are you keeping the course? I still say that mortgage origination is the best job in the world. Doesn't mean it isn't difficult or without obstacles. It just means it is worth it.
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