I'm Committed

I had an experience yesterday. About an hour after I got the Department of Real Estate's blessing, the broker I interviewed with e-mailed me. He said a lot of very sweet things, which boiled down to, "You would make a great addition to my brokerage. What's stopping you?" I didn't write him back right away. Instead, I dithered. Maybe going off on my own would be too hard? Though, I am not sure what "too hard" would look like. I have done hard things before. I am not afraid of hard. I am afraid of change, wrong and disappointing others. Those are my hot buttons.

At any rate, I didn't write him back to tell him no. I'm not coming. And then I realized, until I did so, I wasn't fully committed to my new adventure. While I sat in the ether--between, "Yes, I am opening a brokerage" and "Nope, I am in the safe space where I am," nothing would change. My decision to go forward was on hold while I refused to commit.

Once I had this revelation, I took action. I wrote, and then rewrote my very brief e-mail to Broker 1, thanking him for everything, including the inspiration and guidance he offered me when we met a few weeks ago. And then I told him I am going to hang my license with my brokerage. As soon as I pushed send, I swear my world changed. I was committed. Incidentally, he wrote me back, wishing me well and said he hoped we had a chance to work together some time.

There is a wonderful quote my friend Reader Number Three once gave me. It danced in my head for a few hours, and now I am sharing it with you. I have found it attributed through the years to several folks. But Goeth is getting the credit today.

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

 Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”
 

--Johann Wolfgang von Goeth