A by-product of any major life event is typically perspective. Even a minor life event can provide a complimentary dose.
Think of the flight you were on when there was heavy turbulence. Remember how you felt when the plane safely returned to the gate? Grateful? Relieved? All of a sudden, if only for a few minutes, the small stuff wasn’t such a big deal. A quick dose of perspective.
Here we are mired in the opening innings of the COVID-19 pandemic as we individually and collectively face challenges we likely haven’t had to face previously.
Isolation.
No flour or toilet paper to be found. Macro and micro economic strain.
Guilt because we’re not capitalizing on this free time. No face-to-face contact with friends. Sports cancelled. Lines on the floors indicating where to stand. Relentless uncertainty. Events cancelled. Daily disappointment. Weddings and Funerals postponed or cancelled. Generalized anxiety. Businesses closed up with a return date unknown.
Time.
Lots of time.
Sooooo much time.
Isolation.
As the hum of the strain builds, some will look outward and help. Others will go the protectionist route and buy all of “product A” and try to re-sell it for a profit. Some will get much needed supplies for a vulnerable neighbour while others will carry on business as usual because it’s really no different than a flu. Right? I mean, how many people die a year from car crashes?
Here is the missing ingredient.
Perspective.
Press pause on your grand endeavours for a few minutes to consider the plight of others. The horrible and difficult choices that some families are required to make at the moment.
Sure, postponing your wedding is upsetting. You were supposed to be on a trip to ‘fill in the blank here’ right now but you had to cancel. Man, that’s rough…. Let’s dial up the Perspect-o-meter.
How about the family who can’t visit their loved one at the hospital? Or the restrictions at a hospice that won’t allow family to sit around their family member in their final hours? A funeral and celebration of life that can’t happen. Grandchildren visits to see their Gramma on hold.
The longer this COVID lingers, the longer many in our (your) community will have to suffer this emotional turmoil. What is going to make this situation linger is those in our collective community who won’t put their figurative tools down for 2 or 3 weeks in an effort to slow this thing down. In a world where we require near-instant results in order to rationalize an action, the idea of waiting 2 or 3 weeks to see the result of self-isolation is near impossible.
“I’ve gone to the gym for like 2 months and my stomach hasn’t even changed!”
Sidebar: some people are in MUST do business situations. For example, in our business, where a family has sold their home and they need to find a home to move to prior to a certain date. Sure, those people need to do what they need to do. Be careful. Sanitize. Follow directions. Take ALL the necessary steps. Get in and get out. Don’t browse or tire kick.
So, for those in our business who see now as a time to capitalize or hustle, perhaps you just need to press pause, think and seek perspective.
Step 1: Talk to someone who has a family member that they can’t see because of COVID restrictions.
Step 2: Ask yourself if your actions are helping that family or making it worse.
If you’re out there chasing a deal that can wait, then you’re in fact part of the problem. And I hope our community, your clients and the market in general remember.
Don’t be part of the problem. Show respect. Please.
…and thank-you to Sergio Souza for the great photo.