The Enormous Cost Of Doing Nothing
Last month during a pre-show interview for Good Morning Arizona (#humblebrag) I was asked, “John in your expert, super-duper accurate, never wrong opinion what is the number one mistake home buyers make?” Without hesitation I answered, “not getting started”. I told the story of a client of mine named Sarah who I showed a few dozen houses to in 2011. She had a great job, very little debt, and roommates to share the load of the mortgage. By all accounts she had NO reason not to buy a home.
Well, she had one reason….. Fear.
I often say that fear is a great friend to have in the back seat of your car but it’s a TERRIBLE driver. Fear is great at keeping you from falling off a cliff or robbing a bank but you almost never want fear driving your car. In my client’s case, fear kept her on the real estate sidelines for five years until she bought the same basic house she looked at in 2011 for $100,000 MORE!
On that same interview I told the anchor that very few people regret buying a home but lots of people regret NOT buying a home. This is a key decision-making filter I use often. When faced with a difficult decision I’ll ask, “will I regret doing this or will I regret not doing this?”. Often the answer is that I’ll regret not trying but I won’t regret giving it a shot.
Most of the time our regrets surround inaction, not action.
about the stories you hear of deathbed regrets. Nobody is lying around on deaths’ doorstep telling their grandkids “I really wish I hadn’t wasted that money on the time share in Lake Havasu”. No, we regret the times we let fear climb over from the back seat and take the wheel keeping us from living the life we are destined to live. Sure you may make a mistake, fail, lose some money; but in the process, you will gain precious wisdom and experience.
So in what area of your life can you sense fear grabbing too much control? Perhaps it’s investing in an Airbnb rental (see last month’s newsletter on that topic) or perhaps it’s taking an emotional risk and repairing a broken relationship. Whatever that fear is telling you my suggestion is to ask yourself, “Will I regret trying this or might I regret not trying?”
Our desire at the Gluch Group is to help all of our clients live an abundant life. Please let us know if we can help you take the next step in pursing the life you have always dreamed of. Call us any time at 480-378-6700.
