Disclaimer: This week’s blog has very little to do with property.
My first post of every month was previously set aside for a marketing related topic. This week’s was going to be about digital marketing, and how the Lean Startup Methodology of building, measuring and learning can create better outcomes for estate agents and their clients.
The thing is, I didn’t really feel like writing about that.
I think it would have been reasonably interesting, but to coin a popular term, it wouldn’t have been very authentic. It’s not what I’ve been thinking about for the past couple of weeks.
I spent the bank holiday weekend in the countryside, with some really close friends. For the first time in nine months, I did no work. Instead, we spent time outdoors, slept, ate and reconnected with what’s actually important.
“The three big ones in life are wealth, health, and happiness. We pursue them in that order, but their importance is reverse” - Naval Ravikant
Naval is someone who I was only introduced to last week. I met him through Tim Ferriss. I was introduced to Tim by Anna. Of these three people, she’s the only one I actually know.
It doesn’t matter though, I haven’t met most of my mentors. Thankfully their advice is available to everyone.
So in a way, Anna changed my life. Anna and her partner were also my first clients after I started my own business. I should probably invite them for dinner, now that such activities are legally permitted.
In the past ten days I’ve listened to a podcast with Naval, and another one with Brene Brown. The one with Naval was so interesting that I immediately stopped reading the book I was halfway through, and started reading this instead.
All of which got me thinking about my own journey. When I was younger, first starting out in the world of work, I imagined that my career would look exactly like this.
But actually, so far it’s looked more like this.
Some things in life can only be learned through experience. Like that failure will teach you more than success ever will. It seems like a cliche until it actually happens to you.
It’s not about how much you get right, it’s how much you get better. Every experience - the good, bad, terrible, wonderful, confusing, messy, great - does just that - Brianna Wiest
What I have learned more than anything is that sometimes you can really try, and still not get the outcome you wanted. That some things are simply outside of your control.
Some other things feel like they are, but actually aren’t. They’re just a bit frightening. The two aren’t the same.
I had a meeting last week with a potential new client. As we were chatting, he spoke about something which really resonated with me. He had set up a business, which from the sounds of it was pretty successful. Then he left.
Why? He no longer enjoyed it.
I hope that we get to work together. One of the best parts of my new found autonomy is being able to choose who I work with (as long as they choose me too).
Saying no to unreasonable people is a superpower. Working with people who you like is a pleasure. Back to Naval.
“This stuff feels like play to me, but it looks like work to others”
I genuinely believe that I’m better at my work now than at any time in the past. Partly through the realisation that it’s a fundamentally straightforward process.
Clients want me to be honest about what I think I can do, and transparent about how the process will work. Most importantly of all, they want me to be accountable for what happens until we’ve achieved the goal.
I’m ok with this, and as a result, I’m happier doing my work than at any time since I started my career. I’m hopefully a nicer person to be around too. Most of the time at least.
So actually, this week’s blog is about building, measuring and learning after all. Just not in relation to digital marketing.
P.s. For those of you who are concerned I’ve lost the plot, next week’s blog is about Westminster’s new planning policy.
Things I’ve been inspired by this week
I didn’t really know what to put here. The truth is that I’ve been inspired by two podcasts, a book, and several meetings with clients.
So here’s Brene Brown talking about vulnerability. It’s a good starting point for those of you who might be interested in her work.