Fishing requires just the right pole, the right weights, hooks, bait, bobbers, hook pullers and all sorts of nifty tools attached to your fishing vest (according to my husband). Once properly outfitted, you head off to find the best fishing spot (which requires an understanding fish psychology) and determine which combination of the toolkit items will get the fish to bite.
At the end of day 1, my well-outfitted husband returns without a single fish - and pissed. He said, "I could SEE them! They were swimming around the boat and jumping out of the water but they refused to bite. They were flipping me off with their fins!" I then asked, "Did anyone else catch any fish?". It was a dangerous question if they had, but it was an unsuccessful day for all. They did, however, all establish a comfortable sense of comraderie regarding their combined lack of results.
My husband doesn't fail well. He tossed and turned throughout the night thinking of strategies to out-smart those darn fish and woke up early the following morning to completely change all of the doo-dads on his fishing pole. As he went out the door, he pronounced that he would not return without fish.
In the middle of the day, my curiosity got the best of me so I took a hike to find out if he was accomplishing his mission. I arrived at his normal fishing spot - no husband. I hiked around a bit and saw other fisherman in their boats, talking across the water about the lack of fish. Still no sign of my husband.
I hike back around the lake wondering where the ranger station is located in case I need them to find a lost husband when - lo and behold - there he is!
No boat, standing in the water up to the top of his waders, no other fisherman within calling distance for moral support and a look of intense concentration on his face. Dare I interrupt?
At that moment he looks up, spots me, gets a smile on his face and lifts his string of fish out of the water.
By the end of the day, he had his limit and was practically a fishing hero because most ended the day empty-handed. Interestingly enough, the other fisherman didn't ask him how he chose his new fishing spot or what doo-dads he changed on his pole, they attributed his success to luck. Sound familiar?
Wendy Cutrufelli
Broker Associate
925.917.1135
The positions on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent Alain Pinel Realtors' positions, strategies or opinions.
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HAHA! Yes indeed! Real Estate IS like fishing!
Some days are better than others, some days you get a whale and others, nuthin'.
An element of luck figures in and you have to keep feet on the ground while your head is in the clouds . . . :)
Wendy:
Fishing and Fish Tales are always fun, interesting.. "The One That Got Away".. Is always a memorable image. I've often heard, that its the journey, not the destination that matters most.
Life Is Great
Have A Hectic Week...
Real estate and fishing, an interesting analogy, and it sounds like there's a lot of truth to the comparison.
Haha - I can soo relate - when I started doing well in real estate people said I was lucky. RIGHTTTT, and all those hours reading, studying, away from my family, emailing, calling, texting, driving, following up, learning about new tech tools and old techniques didn't count for anything...
Great post!!
True post! Sometimes you get a whole string then other times you can't get one if he bit you.
Hey Wendy - Tell you lovely Joe Hubby, for what it's worth, I didn't catch anything this weekend either, but everyone around me did. Hmmm... What's more funny, is look what security graphic word came up in order for me to leave this comment! LOL
What does the graphic say?
I have use the analogy before.
Real Estate is just like fishing, you bait your hook, you cast it out and all you need is one fish to bite "The Buyer"
But you do need the right bait, technique, presentation, and a little luck.
Hi Wendy -- If I ever need to go fishing, I want your hub as my mentor and guide! Now, if I could translate his determination and knowledge in my own business, I would love to be able to pull up a group of clients out of the water! Very fun read.
Good for him! Sometimes you have to go upstream to succeed. Being one of many reduces your chances just like in Real Estate- Great story!
Fishing is almost exactly how customers can and will be. Sometimes abundant sometimes you can see them with no luck. Great post!
Wendy,
What a great analogy! You have me dusting off my bait and lures today so I can reel in some new business.
Ha...this is a great analogy! I like the post today, Thanks.
Patricia Aulson/portsmouth nh homes
Very nice. I think there is a quote about great minds? I posted this blog this weekend as well... HA!
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1234673/the-ones-that-get-away-capturing-viable-leads
Obviously I agree with you! :)
Shawn Arnold
softRealty.com
Hi all, I forced myself to step away from the computer yesterday afternoon and returned to find all of these fun comments!
Dawn: You are so right. People tend to overlook the significant amount of work that leads to your "luck".
Brad: Sorry that you didn't catch anything! You must need some different doo-dads. :)
Chris: Funny thing is that my husband is also the Managing Broker of the office. He mentors just like he fishes - don't keep doing the same thing if it isn't working.
Florida Pines Realty: It is true that separating yourself from the crowd is a positive in both fishing and real estate.
Laura: Yep, it is frustrating when you can SEE them and still not get a bite.
Irene: Good luck today with your bait and lures!
Paula: Thanks for your nice comment.
Shaun: I will head over and read your post shortly. :)
This is a great way to look at things, there is probably something we all need to change that isn't working. Thanks!
Hi Wendy, This is just an excellent post. I'm sure it made a lot of sense to the non-fishing "Rainers also. Well done !
Adam: I agree - and we need to move away from the crowd that spends time commiserating instead of adapting.
Bill: I don't fish (but I'm a really good line detangler) and the analogy jumped out at me.
I have used that analogy with my clients recently. Good job!
Our market is challenging, but homes are still selling.
Thanks for the thought.
I have used that analogy with my clients recently. Good job!
Our market is challenging, but homes are still selling.
Thanks for the thought.
When people ask me how it's going with real estate and I tell them it looks like this might be my best year ever, they looked surprised and ask how I'm doing so well in this market. When I tell them lots of hard work - mostly it's the newsletter I've written for years and blogging, their eyes glaze over. Maybe I'll just tell them, "Luck!"
any and all fishing stories are welcome in southwest florida, we live for fishing stories.
but i noticed that you didn't share why his new spot was so successful, that's tyical of a fisherman, not to share their secret.
i'm sure it wasn't just luck.
Joetta: Congratulations on your success this year! Please don't under-state your achievements and call it "Luck". IMHO, it is very important for friends, clients and the general public to know that success in this profession does require dedication and hard-work, not "Luck".
Hi Jay: I'm not a fisherman so I didn't ask (probably wouldn't have understood the stragegy even if I had). I just thought it was interesting that no one else asked either.
Wendy: I love the analogy. I believe real estate is like fishing in that both require a lot of preparation. We spend a lot of time building with no immediate results. Then, occasionally, the floodgates open. That's what makes our job exciting! Thanks again!
I have used the comparison in a different way. What appears to be unsuccessful or wasted time is not. You have to keep your line in the water even when they are not biting. That does not mean you don't change the bait some times.
Indeed. As a dedicated fisherwoman, I can say that real estate practice and fishing require the same balance of
Knowledge
Tools
Patience
Super Intelect
The ability to "enhance" our successes.
The important thing is that his line was in the water!! I LOVE to fish! I did a whole ad thing (awhile back when we did ads) with a fishing theme. Think I started it off with "Are all Remax agents sharks?" lol
Great Post, With fishing it seems that the majority are fishing in the wrong spot. Also, once you find a good spot, it can become a bad spot the next week.
Great Anology... Love it! Using the right tools and finding the right places is essential.
good story great way to start off monday reading something with a little inspiration
Get as many lines in the water as you can handle, and be ready for the big bite!
Wendy, any day fishing even withoujt catching fish is a good day. That is not necessarily true in real estate. But glad your husband's luck changed.
But when you catch that big one............ fish or sale.........there is great joy in mudville!
That's why it's called fishing. If you caught something on every cast, it would be called catching. :o]
Paul: Preparation, action and results. We would find easier jobs if we didn't find this exciting.
Gene: The trick is knowing when to be patient or change your bait.
Lenn: You also have time to fish? I would love to see your time management system!
Kathy: We definitely must always keep our "line in the water"! Smile.
Mainsail Realty: You are right, and adaptation to the changing environment is key.
Diane: Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Georgina: Good point. Why limit yourself to a single line - at least in Real Estate? Don't think those independent fisherman have a referral arrangement set up for those occasions when they get two bites at once.
Gary: I think my husband would be much more relaxed when fishing if he took that attitude.
Emily: If only our "lures" only cost $1.29 each!
Joan: Great joy in mudville indeed!
Larry: Laughing - good point.
Wendy - Great Story!!! It definitely sounds familiar, Real Estate is similiar to fishing in more ways than one.
Goes to show you if it isn't working the old way; try another way!
This is too funny. I wrote Going Fishing.... back in March along the same lines....but your example drove the point home better than I possibly ever could. Great story, apt analogy and well deserved feature, btw.
Hello. I've spent quite a bit of fishing in the past growing up. Live bait (Face-to-face) always works best. One thing though, often you don't fish alone, you have others in the boat. Would this be using agents as referrals. Interesting.
This is a GREAT blog!
When my daughter was about four she wanted to fish with her grandfather and her uncle. I do not fish so I was just "hanging around"! My daughter took her rod and started "slapping" the water. My father in law said, "you are going to scare the fish off"... about the same time she pulled her rod up out of the water with a fish.
The line below from your blog says it all...
He tossed and turned throughout the night thinking of strategies to out-smart those darn fish and woke up early the following morning to completely change all of the doo-dads on his fishing pole.
We all must do this OFTEN!
Funny story Wendy. This is exactly like RE. We work hard and change our approach until it is right. Our coworkers look at us and say how lucky we are. The harder I work, the "luckier" I get.
Nice 'hook' yoursef! Well done.
I have fun reading. Great analogy! There's always trial and error. We try different techniques either in fishing or RE until we find our perfect strategy to hook a big fish.