Well Ain’t It Grand

This is officially my 1000th blog post here at Carp’s Corner. Let me say this upfront; This didn’t start out as a long post…but then again, I didn’t expect to be here 1000 blog posts later, either. They say that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” so that must mean that “a journey of a thousand blog posts begins with a single sentence,” right?

Alice, The Cheshire Cat, and a Long Journey Ahead

It was back on March 4th, 2008 when I posted my first blog post titled “Do You Know Where You’re Going?” My blog started out as a place to share ideas, thoughts, stories, and insights to help what I hoped would be an audience of real estate professionals, friends, and family. It was a place for me to blend words, concepts, ideas, and hopefully some inspiration along the way. My blog was originally called “The REALTORS ® Toolbox” but the folks at NAR would soon send me a notice that stated I couldn’t use their trademarked word so the transition to Carp’s Corner occurred. I guess they felt some people might be confused that my collection of stories would confuse the public into thinking this was the actual official toolbox of all real estate professionals.

It’s funny to look back on that first post and read the opening message. The lines from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” are still as powerful today as they were when I first shared them 12 years ago and 162 years ago when Carroll first wrote them. I think it’s probably safe to say that I didn’t know where I was going then but like most of us, we kept walking and ended up here today. We have seen recessions and real estate booms. We experienced powerful new companies from A to Z – Apple and Amazon, Zappos, and Zillow change the landscape of how the world works. Through the hundreds of blog posts before this, we have been impacted by political power struggles and recently a pandemic. And even after all the years, the same three thoughts create the basis for the blog…and my business.

Building Relationships, Solving Problems, and Having Fun

When I crossed from double digits into the 100’s, I penned a three-part series that still to this day are some of my favorite posts. It was perhaps a ceremonial checkpoint; an opportunity for me to stop and check my progress on the path I was on. I was able to thank all the people that have influenced me along the way. Looking back now, I still probably didn’t “know where I was going” but I was pretty confident I was on the right road. I wouldn’t have the time (or the memory) in this post to come up with the 1001 people that have impacted me at this point, but to be honest, it’s the original 101 I wrote about almost 11 years ago and well over a thousand more I’d need to include. From my Coldwell Banker friends in the Gen Blue Nation to my real estate industry collaborators (I never like to call them competition because there is plenty of business to go around for the people who are willing to work for it), all the vendors and affiliate partners, all the people that have passed through my sphere of influence for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, they have all played a part in these posts.

Of course, there are the clients that have trusted in me I would need to thank as well. Buyers and Sellers and people who have referred business to me and the numerous brokers, owners, managers, and team members at companies, boards, associations, and organizations around North America that have trusted me to deliver presentations, workshops, or classes to their associates, affiliates, and members.

Oh, and to you…my loyal Carp’s Corner subscribers. I know you probably don’t read all of them…except for you Mom. (Thanks for the constant support and the occasional motherly “I think you have a typo” messages). If you’ve read them in your email, on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, or shared them with your peers, partners, or other people in your life, I want to say “thanks.” I feel I have become a better writer over these 1000 posts and I hope you feel that way too.

How Carp’s Corner Made it to Post #1000

C – Consistency. The commitment to come up with my Monday Morning Match meant that I had to write at least one post a week. Recently I added my #ThirtyForThursday posts to keep my mind challenged creatively and I have no problem posting something any other day if the message is right. I may not be in Seth Godin’s league to be able to post every single day…and that’s okay. Trust me…no one else is in Seth’s league.

A – Attitude. What can I share that might impact someone’s attitude. If it’s the right post, it will affect at least two people; me when I write it and someone else when they read it. Attitude is a choice so make sure that each day, whether you start with a Carp’s Corner post or not, you’re telling yourself that it’s going to be a great day…then go make it a great day.

R – Recognition. Across my 1000 blog posts, very few have been about a single person. In fact, over the years, I have sought out people to spotlight in my writings, as a tribute or example to my readers. I refer to it as being #Blogworthy and the bar must be set somewhere. Many of the #Blogworthy people have gone on to be featured in my keynote speeches and classes around the country. Many of you would recognize the stories of Fred, Marciano, Erin & Hannah, Davonne, Charles, or Andrew but what I hope is more of you are seeking out people in your towns and communities that are being #Blogworthy and finding ways to recognize them yourself.

P – Perspective. I can’t tell you how many times I sat down to write one post and suddenly, something shifts in my thinking, and everything changes. The story, the message, the word count. It’s probably one of the more powerful reminders in life; keep things in perspective.

Not all storms come to disrupt your life. Some come to clear your path

– Anonymous

S – Sports. If there is one constant in my life, it’s my love of sports. Ever since I was little I was captured by the competitive spirit and challenge of sports. I have used many sports analogies over the years and have paid tribute to many of sports greatest athletes for their dedication and drive for excellence. Over the years I’ve related analogies and examples from football to basketball, hockey and of course, golf

C – Creativity. There are many Sunday nights that I sit in front of my laptop and just wait for a topic or message to pop into my mind. Other days it’s a post that has been percolating in my brain for a few days. I love looking for inspiration in many places, including books or quotes, Today in History pages, or old classes I have delivered over the years. I always try to ask myself what would inspire one of my readers when they read this? What might bring a smile, a laugh, or a moment of insight that will help someone #BecomeBetter?

O – Opportunity. What an incredible honor it is to earn the invite into my reader’s “inbox.” I have this platform to share my thoughts, ideas, and lessons each time I hit “publish” and I humbly appreciate the fact that someone out there will read it, share it, and hopefully be impacted or influenced by it. There’s a quote that says “don’t wait for opportunity. Create it.” I feel every post allows me to do just that.

R – Real. Sure. I’m in the real estate industry and a large majority of my Carp’s Corner readers probably are as well but I’m more focused on the “real” than I am about the “estate” part. I love being able to write posts about real-life topics like hanging out with friends on a college road trip or that difficult round of golf. I look for those lessons that might transcend a real estate deal. I enjoy writing about being a Dad to my daughter Riley and my son Ryan or remembering my Dad. People can get real estate articles in lots of other places but they can’t get “real-life Carp stories” as they can here.

N – Nothing is Perfect. I learned a long time ago that there is no such thing as the perfect post. There will never be something I could say that everyone would like. Just like life, you can’t please everybody all the time, so why try. I do my best to edit for grammatical and punctuation errors, I try to be factual and accurate, but I never try to be perfect. As author Jodi Picoult said, “You may not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can always edit a blank page.”

E – Enthusiasm. My mission statement as a teacher and a speaker is to “teach with passion and enthusiasm, instilling confidence and excitement in my students.” I hope my passion and enthusiasm come through in my writing too because I can assure you that these words always come from the heart. Remember, the last 4 letters of enthusiasm should always stand for “I am sold myself!”

R – Reminders. It’s how I ended that first post back in 2008 and it’s how I’ve ended more than 90% of the posts, speeches, and presentations over the years. If you want to be successful, one of the simplest ways is to focus on these three things – Building relationships, solving problems, and having fun.

Thanks for reading, sharing, commenting, and being there over the years. I’ll be back on Monday…or sooner if the muse visits before then.