Someone once asked me, “What is your passion?”
I have been married for 30 years, so I suppose I looked at them funny. They continued on, “You know what makes you want to wake up in the morning? What do you think about during the day?”
Ahhhh……
Your passions are what you love to do, passions are not work, and passions are what put a smile on your face.
A person is lucky indeed if their passions co-inside with their life and career. Have you ever heard the expression, “most men live lives of quiet desperation”? (It actually originated by Henry David Thoreau in 1854)
When I was growing up my dad owned a Buick Dealership. He was very successful and was asked to serve on many community boards. He was a very warm, friendly, lovable man, with many friends and business associates all over town. But, deep down his family knew running the car dealership was not his passion. 
My dad loved race-horses. Now by loving thoroughbreds, I don’t mean gambling or going to the races, although he loved that too.
No, I mean he enjoyed every aspect about them, the breeding, the blood-lines, the history, watching them train, feeding them, the whole thing. Before, my brother and I were born; my grandfather was in the car business. My grandfather ran the business and dad was able to spend more time doing what he loved to do. When my brother and I came along, he had to get serious about working with my granddad at the dealership.
But, his passion, all his life was the horses, not the automobile business.
In the book, Bo’s Lasting Lessons, written by Bo Schembechler and John Bacon, Bo says,
“When people talk to me about all the sacrifices I’m suppose to have made pursuing this crazy life-in time, money, in status-I have to laugh. They weren’t sacrifices to me. I got to coach! And that is all I ever wanted to do.”
Bo Schembechler was a fortunate man; his passion was the game of football and he got to spend his life doing what he loved to do...coaching.
Today, I see many young people, graduate, take a job they don’t really like but is financially secure and start down the road of living lives of quiet desperation.
What is your “all you ever wanted to do?” What are your passions?
Is it real estate? Do you love the housing industry?
I love helping people; my degree from college was in Social Work. The skills I learned there were very transferable to real estate. Real estate is a career that is all about helping people. We help them find their house, we help them negotiate the inspections, we help them find a loan, we help them make sure there are no title issues, and we help them get the best price for their home if they are selling. We become their counselor, their trusted adviser.
If you don’t like helping people achieve their dreams, then it is time to get out. Many Realtors and Lenders are getting out. It was easy to have this career in a sellers market, it is hard now. You have to be committed to do what needs to be done to help people accomplish their dreams. That includes working hard and being passionate. I am passionate about real estate and helping people I meet along life's way.
Do you still have a smile on your face, when you write an offer? Take a listing? Go show houses? Originate a mortgage? Stage a house?
My "aha" moment came when I realized that at the core of my being was a passionate desire to help people, it was in Social Work and now it is Real Estate.
Missy Caulk & Team can be reached at 734-926-9797 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com
Our Team of 6 agents are available to help you relocate to Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, Ypsilanti Township, Clinton, Manchester, Whitmore Lake, or throughout Washtenaw County, MI.
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Stay strong, stay faithful, stay honest, stay loving, stay true to who you are, most importantly stay true to who God is as you'll be who you are, and you'll be happy, you'll be you, you'll be free. -Jamie Caulk
While discovering my Passion, I reached out to many books, one of which I continue the "on-going" read... The Success Principles by Jack Canfield (not the Chicken Soup style writing - its really good!)..... I wrote my mission statement, sounds similar to your passion of helping people, which is my core.
"To use my creativity and knowledge to help people reach the pot of gold at the end of their particular rainbow" (I say could be house, job, family, Our Lord, college, etc)
Missy,
I was talking about this with a friend last night....we were discussing our children and what our children are doing with their lives and I told him that I've always told my sons 'The only thing that matters to me is that you are happy doing whatever it is you chosse to do....the whole meaning to life is to enjoy it and be happy.'
I see so many people who stay in jobs they detest and then one day they retire, and within a year or so they die. They've spent their entire life being unhappy, or unhappy for the better part of the day, and then when they finally have time to do what they enjoy doing, their time is up.
Beautiful post with such a meaningful message.....my passion is real estate too. I feel very alive when I'm helping people through one of the biggest transitions of their lives.
Jo
Missy... You are fortunate indeed. As am I.
I suspect that over the last few years the industry, because of the emphasis on recruiting, team building and specialization of specific areas of the transaction, has attracted people with passions that are not consistant with service.
Unfortunately the majority of agents will not experience the joy of helping a deserving couple buy that "first home".
It's a shame
To be able to earn money doing what one loves, that is a blessing indeed. So many people wake up in the morning and go to a job they dislike and from which they receive no joy or fulfillment. Aren't we lucky?
Missy, this post and the comments it will generate, might be a surprise to some people out there. Those of us who work in this business know that the long hours, the emotional and sometimes demanding clients are the price we pay to do something we love. To paraphrase someone wise, "Find a profession that you truly love and you never have to work another day in your life." My clients are one of my greatest sources of joy beyond family and close friends. Thanks for bringing up the subject.
Missy
Passion for what you do, is usually a result of combining all the things you do well with a measured result. Loving people, communication skills, negotiating, creativity, art design, numbers knowledge, educating, and the satisfaction of a job well done. Once you discover your passion it is not work! Well written-Bravo!
Good luck and sell well!
You are passionate about what you do, that is obvious. And you are great at what you do. You set a terrific example, and goal, for all of us! Thank you.
Missy thanks for this post, its very revelant to our position as Realtors. A couple of weeks ago I actually wrote a mission statement and it revealed alot about me and my passion, my AHA moment. here is a bit,
having heard Gary Keller talk about the big WHY.. the AHA moment... today the lightbulb came on.. I do know I have a big WHY. It was very enlightening, this revelation, this purpose I have for working.
I love what I do, this week I came to realize my big WHY and I'm as thrilled as a kid in a candystore. Its so fresh to me I'm not sure I can express it clearly yet.. so here goes a stab at my first written heartfelt Mission Statement.
Because everyone deserves a home. To help people find their dream home. To take the hassles and mysteries out of the real estate process. To be of service to others with my lifetime skills and knowledge. To smooth the way. To simplify the transaction. TO HELP.
I hope it wasn't too lengthy for just a comment?
Missy,
Great post! I agree, having a passion to help people is what it is all about...I've often wondered about those in real estate 'part time'...can you have a 'part time' passion to help others? Thanks, Fran
Hello Missy!
I was a Flight Attendant for 20 years and have been retired now 20 years. So I flew in the 70's when we were providing SERVICE above and beyond our passangers expectations!
I find my passion for SERVING others and RESOLVING issues important to them has been the success of my Real Estate business...
Thanks for your inspiring post!
Warmest regards!
Gina
Hi Missy,
I worked for 14 years at Boeing and 8 years at HP and retired early in order to pursue my passion for real estate. It is a hard road getting started but I love it.
Thanks for your encouraging posts.
B
thanks for bringing up the SUBJECT.. I love what I do..Selling homes and buying homes are my passion... I also love my second job... helping SENIORS live an independent live is my joy....
Helping others achieve sometime and then seeing the SMILE on their FACES is PRICELESS... I really love it... it would break my heart is I couldn't help them....
Your why must be so huge, bigger than you, it has to make you cry or make you laugh just to think about it, that is what passion is. If you do what you love, the money will always follow. My passion is to help others live their dreams and to discover their true passion in life, to find their purpose and then do it. That has always been my passion and so here I am, writing, teaching, helping, paying it forward, coaching, training, motivating and inspiring others. Katerina
Missy,
I understand and know how you feel. I feel it too! When someone questions my motives I have grown to understand that they don't understand ME. (That is when I try to remember that "People view you as they are themselves.")
I do put my clients and customers first, and their priorities become my own. That is what has helped me to be successful, and you too. I absolutely love the business and helping people to achieve their dreams!! Thanks for such a great post!
Missy,
This is so true. There is something so amazing about about getting a family into their dream home where they will start a family and build memories. We are really blessed to be in that kind of a position. Often times, people give Realtors a bad name but I think they are just jealous :). We really do have dream jobs.
Missy... what an awesome blog and message.... something that I have been thinking about writing about in the last month, but I always get sidetracked... lol You hit the nail on the head when you stated this.... "A person is lucky indeed if their passions co-inside with their life and career." and then said this by Henry David Thoreau... “most men live lives of quiet desperation”
I will need to come back to this with more comments and to read all of the comments... great job with this.
Hi Missy,
I could tell!
Dick Beals
Missy,
I have to agree. Why be in real estate if it's not your passion? Why be in a customer service oriented business if you don't like helping people? I feel like I'm doing what I was born to do. Yippee!
Actually, I have several passions, several interests, really a multitude of things I would enjoy doing and be good at. But real estate fits better (with my personality and my own goals & interests) than anything else I have ever done.
Social work...yup...it's no surprise to me...the writers I am attracted to have a history of some kind of social or nursing or some sort of past experience with "people". Passion? I believe you do!
Missy, I love real estate!! Period, end of sentence. Worked as a paralegal for years, and loved that too. My passion? After my husband? children? grandchildren? is dancing!!! But, I love, love, love, reading, knowledge and learning too. I guess I have lots of things that could be considered to be a passion.
Latonia, Thanks for commenting and the encouraging words.
Kim, I have all of Jack's Success PRINCIPALS on CD, and they are in my car. They are so good, I use them if I am competing for a listing appointment on my way there and my kids love them too. Allyssa had a picture of Jack on her MySpace.
Krista, there is a lot of people in helping professions that go into real estate, did you know that?
Gaye, yes you are correct.
Jo-Anne, thanks for your kind thoughts and words, I have the same desires for my own kids to be happy and love what they do.
Marc, I love it....I too have to force myself off the computer and go to bed. I use to go early until I met Activerain.
Corie, First time home buyers are so much fun, I agree, the excitement is contagious.
Cynthia, YES I do.
Melissa, High 5 right back to ya.
Tom, Thank you!
Kathi, it really is not like work when you are doing what you love.
Allison, thanks for your kind comment.
Jill, am I that transparent?
Dan, yes the fun!
Susie, how sweet.
Gail, no it is not too long and it is a great mission statement.
Fran, well some agents need to work a 2nd job in this economy.
Diane, before I started my career in RE, I did tons of volunteer work and I loved it. Sometimes, I long for those days, so I hear what you are saying. Now I just focus on the clients that need help.
Linda, oh how touching....I actually read your comment today but have been in appointments all day so am just now getting to respond. Wow, great comment.
Bill, you can definately have many things your passionate about, my family is actually first in my life, but this post was geared towards our careers.So I know where you are coming from.
Steve, me too. How ya been?
Gina, I didn't know you were in the airline industry. Thanks for commenting and your skills are transferable too.
Brenda, so glad you love your second career.
Herb, gee how did I know you liked fixer-uppers?? LOl
Donna, you got it. :)
Carole, I know you are as it comes through your writings too.
Paula, what a great journey into your career. Very similar to me, I loved absorbing the Sunday paper, helped people in our church find homes and then took the plunge and never looked back.
Katerina, YES girl, I know it is your passion!!!! You are blessed.
Diane, your excitement is contagious.
Pat, how sweet!
Mana, I did not know that about you? You'll have to tell me more when I visit you!!
Jason, I haven't heard that before, but I like it.
Sean, if the wife isn't happy, no one is happy, right?
Fran, it did, didn't it?
Rachel, it is a dream job for many of us, definately me.
Linda, glad you found you niche.
Ed, he did. We had horses all my life, several big sweepstakes winners. But, no KY Derby winners, but his trainer was in Lexington and when we were visiting, he always got up early to watch his horses work out. I enjoy going into the stables before the races. We always took our jockey out to dinner, a big steak dinner. He would excuse himself and go throw up. LOL You know they have to make weight.
Jeff, go ahead and write yours, I would love to read your passion for doing loans.
Wayne, well thank you, it just came from my heart.
Donna, LOL your so funny. Yea, that is a long time and hard to believe.
Dick, really?
Fran, I do too, like a calling!
Kelly, I knew that!
Sally, amazing isn't it ?
Teri, I also have a para-legal degree, nope not for me.... too much paper-work.
Kathleen, :)
Joan, yes I think negotiating is similiar to a dance, good point.
Dick, I'm trying, perfect NO.
Sharon, yes it does afford us a great opportunity, doesn't it.
Dan, this is a great quote for all of us, if we love what we do.
Virginia, you can teach skills but you can't teach passion. You either have it or you don't .
I LOVE visiting Bed and breakfasts. I love the serence atmosphere, the relaxation they provide and the time to regroup and refocus. Playing with my grandchild is another, well the most loved time I can spend. I love having family dinners and sitting by the fire with a good cup of coffee, listening to classical music. Sometimes it is the smaller things in life that we need to take for. Take time to smell the roses is something we say but do we actually do?
Phyllis Pafumi
Missy,
I'm a bit late, having already replied via e-mail, so you already know that this is an outstanding post. For those of us whose passion is Real Estate, it really is great to be able to do what we love to do - serving others - and make a living by doing so.
I have found a great satisfaction in helping people in the biggest quest they will ever undertake, finding a great home for their families!
PS: Bo started his wonderful career under Woody!!!!!!!
Missy,
I absolutely love Real Estate!!! I also love painting. I actually get excited whenever I am in the process of any part of the Real Estate process. It's exciting to put people into homes that they love, simple as that. And painting, for me is therapeutic. Guess I have the best of both worlds
I so agree with you. I love what I do in Real Estate. Is it my passion? I don't really know. Like your Dad I'm good at what I do, but a little bit of me tells me there is something else for me; I just can't find it.
Wonderful post Missy.
Steve, I love that quote, thank you for sharing.
Laura, yes I hope so for the majority of us.
Maria, look deep it is not about the money.
David, he did and you need to read the book, his and Woody's relationship lasted until the end. I was amazed.
Christy, a nice niche. Go for it !!
Karen, sounds good to me, I would love to see you paintings, post them on flickr.
Kevin and Monica, we do a lot of counceling, don't we?
Joey, the money follows if we love what we do.
Vance, you know I love and respect you.
Phyllis, I don't know it does get hectic, doesn't it? Guilty
Dwayne, :)
Katie, you're right, we do need this to keep going. And those that just don't have it anymore, just move onto something else. We all have those days, don't we?
Debra, yes, positive attitudes are so necessary. Clients can "feel" it.
Matt, how sweet and encouraging to me. Tell them you practice Social Work, Matt because all the counceling is just like it is in Social Work.
Missy, like you I am passionate about people. I personally feel that real estate is just my platform to reach out to people. I could be selling Mary Kay, or batteries. I dont think the "product" or "service" would matter so much. So, there you go. That's what I'm passionate about: building lasting relationships because people matter to me.
I do hope that this fire will continue to burn inside me.
We are so fortunate to have found our niche. I can't imagine doing anything else! I feel terrible for those who hate their job.
Loreena, I know you feel the same way. Hope things are going better for you.
Adam, I'm on my 3rd reading of it, so good on leadership.
Deb, awesome, good for you!
Laurie, I know I do too.