30 years of reflection in the property game

BY MARTY MAHER,

DIRECTOR, GREAT OCEAN PROPERTIES

This month marks my 30th year in real estate. Over that time frame I have learnt a lot of lessons, made every mistake possible and interacted with literally thousands of people during my real estate journey.

I have met some incredibly inspiring people over that time and tried to learn something from all of them.

I thought I would share 15 lessons that I have learnt over this period – they are not in any particular order.

95 per cent of your performance is dictated by what is going on between your ears at any one time. You can choose what to focus on and control your reactions, but it requires a level of self awareness – and it requires practice

If you have to make a major decision, make sure you get all the information before you do. Don’t trust your first reaction. First reactions are often emotional

Decisions based on ego are generally bad decisions, especially in business

Learn something from everyone you meet whether you like them or not. Some of the best lessons in life come from the most unexpected sources

The ultimate goal for any agent is to become a trusted advisor. This takes a long period of consistent behaviour to gain the trust to achieve this status. It can also be lost in an instant

Be curious and never stop learning. There is always something new to understand and it’s an ever changing environment. Embrace it

Happiness is a choice. Regardless of your situation, your attitude is everything and affects all those around you – whether you are aware of it or not

Never ever judge a book by its cover. Some of the best people I have ever met have little money. The reverse is also true

Don’t wish for a problem-free life. It will never happen and you will resent the problems when they arrive. Embrace problems as part of a full life because they will occur ever yday. Life is white water, not a serene lake. Not every problem is a bad problem

The vast majority of people are genuinely good people who are just seeking a happy life for themselves, their friends and their family. What happens on the news is not most people’s reality

Prioritise your health. Nothing is more important. Do it for your family if you don’t consider it personally important

When buying anything, we always go through two stages. We emotionally attach first then we self-justify the attachment. Being aware of this can save you a lot of money. We all buy things that seemed a good idea at the time but we never use. Our egos are very persuasive

Look for the best in people and they will respond positively

If you lose your perspective, you must temporarily change your physical environment to regain it. The old adage of not seeing the forest for the trees is certainly true. Don’t get bogged down in the detail, walk out of the forest so you see the whole picture. Things become clear pretty quickly

The ocean is a friend that will never let you down. It is always there for you when you need it.

I feel very fortunate to have survived 30 years in a very competitive and often highly emotional industry. I have only achieved this by surrounding myself with incredibly good people and with a very supportive family. Hopefully one or two of these lessons you may find of assistance in avoiding many of the mistakes that I have made along the way.