I am excited to share that I have finished the Long Beach Half Marathon this year with an official time of one hour forty-five minutes and 40 seconds. Not quite as fast as last year but very close. I didn't run the full marathon as I have in years past, but I came in at a very respectable time for 13.1 miles at an average pace of about 8 minutes per mile. I wanted to share the result of this event to highlight how I've come to realize how similar running can be to the real estate business and how it parallels it in many ways.
As an example, I put work into running consistently and have done so for many years. I was not born a super-fast natural runner. Although the real estate business may be a little more suited to my nature, I also work at it every day. My team and I approach real estate the same way I approach running a marathon, with dedication and discipline. To me, the similarities between running a marathon and running a real estate business are quite numerous, and both are something that I have worked on consistently for years. There is no shortcut. It takes a long-term commitment. You have to do the work and believe me, I have put in the miles.
One of the critical factors that motivate both sides of this story is my competitiveness. I like to succeed and perform the work it takes to do so. I know what it takes every year to make it happen. You have to work hard, and you have work smart if you are going to stay in it for the long haul. It is easy to burn out or break down if you are not smart about it, and this is where experience helps.
Ironically, this picture shows me holding up my beautiful two-year-old daughter. In many ways, she is the one who holds me up. Knowing she is counting on me drives me forward just like my clients are counting on me, and my team to help guide them. Knowing the work matters to more people than myself, and doing it well is the best gratification I can receive.
Sometimes in life, real estate and running, it helps to remember it is not a sprint but a marathon.
