There IS a Magic Pill -- And I've Found it!!!

Everyone always wonders about the proverbial "magic pill."  And it seems all new real estate agents are looking for it . . . that "one" thing that will make a budding new agent a success!  They oft get discouraged by others who tell them that "there is no such thing as a magic pill," just like there's no Santa Claus?  :-(

You're probably thinking, "what on earth is Ferreri up to now?"  Well, let me back up.  There are actually LOTS of magic pills.

In the 1980's, I had many of my friends die of AIDS before anyone knew what caused it.  Did you know that in the early days of AIDS that we (as Realtors) were discouraged from listing/selling homes where occupants were known to have AIDS?  Could you get it from the house?  No disclosure laws were in place.  Thankfully, that changed at some point, but buyers and agents were still somewhat nervous about it.  

But then, some "magic pills" surfaced that, if taken regularly, would change AIDS forever from a "terminal" illness to a "chronic" illness.  That meant that if you took your magic pills, you could continue to live.  It was clearly your choice to live or die . . . and the magic pills were the difference.

In the early years, the side effects of the magic pills were unpleasant, but that, too, changed over time.  I recollect one of my dear friends -- an actor in The Alley's resident company -- refused his pills.  He didn't like the side effects.  He died.  It was his choice, though I miss him terribly, especially at Christmas when The Alley produces an annual version of "A Christmas Carol."  My friend was in it each year playing the character, "Tupper."  I haven't been back to see it since he died.  

There are more "magic pills."  Most people know I've been waiting for a kidney transplant for two years without being on dialysis.  How?  My magic pills!  I swallow (at least) 23 pills per day -- 14 of them are huge powdery pills that sometimes make me cough up smoke after I swallow them.   These sustain my life and kidney function until I can get a replacement, and my regularity with taking them has kept me off of a machine.  (I sometimes get some pills that have a warning label that says, "if you begin to vomit coffee grinds, see a doctor immediately."  Really?  That have to tell me that?  Surely, if I start vomiting coffee grinds I'll call the doctor.  Or, as a minimum, think, "OK, old man, you're drinking from the filter again instead of from the pot . . . get it right or pay the price!")  But I digress.

So, when I compare that to new real estate agents, I can quickly see which ones choose the pills and which ones avoid the side effects.  It's obvious that those who move outside their comfort zone and actually do the lead generating work that we show them, have great success.  The others who sit and think that the work is hard and that they can't do it, end up not having such successes.  The magic pills?  Nike says it best:  "Just do it!"  

See?  I found it!  The Magic Pills for Realtors!  "Do the work."  Do it and not only survive, but thrive.  And if not?  Well, I heard JC Penney is hiring seasonal workers.