The big question: Did you learn anything? Why yes I did, thanks for asking. I learned that Bloodhound readers are kind, generous, caring, funny- I already knew they were smart.
I also learned that there are a whole crew of real estate professionals out there who are rowing the same boat as the Bloodhounds. We are dealing with a market that has experienced huge changes for many reasons. We are hard working and absolutely professional. We love what we do, we are passionate about real estate, and we crave information to make us better. The biggest similarity I found is that we all yearn to conduct our business with as much freedom as possible.
Freedom- or living an unchained life- isn’t simply an idea to us, it’s the only way to exist, and that’s the unifying belief that everyone at this conference held. We might be going about finding our personal freedom differently, but that longing to be as free as possible is what brought people to the conference. I also think that it’s what repels some readers.
Freedom is a frightening thing to some people. I don’t know why, so don’t ask me to elaborate on that, I only know that some people seem uncomfortable with the idea that someone could choose to seek out as much freedom as possible. Or maybe they are uncomfortable with a different path to freedom than their own. Or perhaps they think that they should dictate what freedom should mean to everyone. Like I said I don’t know what motivates people to dislike the idea of Unchained, but I choose not to care.
Bloodhound readers are smart. The feedback that is being given to Greg and Brian will not be ignored. Unchained will be better next time because the folks who have dedicated themselves to giving all of us professional freedom are the same folks who also dedicate themselves to the pursuit of excellence and we can all benefit in the process, but only if you exercise your freedom to do so.
Heather Rankin says:
One of my favorites:
Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.
— Thomas Paine
I am so coming next year. Still working my way through the videos. Thanks to you all.
May 22, 2008 — 11:12 am
Kevin Warmath - Alpharetta Real Estate says:
My lessons at Unchained were many fold, but mostly i learned that i owe a debt of gratitude to David Gibbons and Zillow for sponsoring the event. Greg and Brian were fond of saying throughout that if you paid less than full boat ($350) you have Zillow to thank for the subsidy.
Well, since I no doubt got a $1000 minumum in knowledge and relationships by attending, my debt is probably much greater than the subsidy.
thx, k.
May 22, 2008 — 11:30 am
Don Reedy says:
Teri,
You had your head to the railroad tracks the whole time, and in this post about freedome you clearly heard the train coming well before most will even see it barreling down on them.
Greg left all the crumbs we need to see why some people fear freedom.
“You are free to thrive.”
“You are free to starve.”
And the kicker….”But you are not free to escape the necessity of making a choice.”
May 22, 2008 — 9:03 pm
Dan says:
Why are people afraid of freedom? Because it puts the responsibility of success or failure where it belongs, squarely on their shoulders. If we are not free, we can blame our oppressors or our bosses or our mommies and daddies, if we are free to choose our destiny we can only blame ourselves if we fail to achieve our goals.
May 22, 2008 — 9:39 pm
Teri Lussier says:
I am just catching up here, but thank you all for your comments.
If it takes responsibility to support and embrace freedom, then I can’t imagine a more robust group of people to tackle this.
May 24, 2008 — 11:19 am
Brad Coy says:
On Freedom and Fear, this is one of my favorite quotes:
“It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others.
—Marianne Williamson
Feel the fear and do it anyway… we are all better off for it.
Teri, so happy to finally meet you last week. It was great to spend time with you and everybody else harnessing the ethos of “Unchained”.
May 25, 2008 — 12:12 pm
Greg Swann says:
Beautiful…
My take on the same subject: Here or here:
The latter essay was published at a time when American soldiers were stuck in awful situations all over the globe. I heard from a few of them, the miracle of the nascent internet. I like to think that I provided the fuel to help them through a least of few of those intolerable days.
May 25, 2008 — 12:40 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Brad and Greg-
I’m going to share these with my kids as I can’t think of anything I want for them more than to live a life of always growing, and always becoming and never and never settling. Thank you both so much.
Brad- It was a joy to finally meet you. 🙂
May 25, 2008 — 3:00 pm
Toronto Condos says:
Thank you for sharing your views with us.
“Freedom- or living an unchained life- isn’t simply an idea to us, it’s the only way to exist, and that’s the unifying belief that everyone at this conference held. We might be going about finding our personal freedom differently, but that longing to be as free as possible is what brought people to the conference. I also think that it’s what repels some readers.”
Well said!!!
November 9, 2008 — 5:20 am