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Jake Dreyfuss

Thoughts from 6/3/22

Of late, I have been doing a lot of thinking about the term: influencer.

We hear the term as it relates to the characters and/or caricatures that we see as we scroll through social media and I thought it would be a fun exercise to make a list of folks whom I allow to influence my behavior.

The exercise was illuminating because it reminded me that influence is a choice. I have the only vote when it comes to deciding from whom I accept council.  It also forced me to think long and hard as to what area of my life and decision making do I allow these people to touch. It is also interesting (at least to me) that I have only met half of the people on my list!

So, here is the list of the most influential people in my life and what areas of my life are impacted by each of them. I added links in case you are not familiar with them and would like to start hearing what they have to say:

Emotional alignment: Gina Mallison

Life experiences: Jesse Itzler

Physical fitness: Nick Bare

Leadership: Ray Dalio

Communication & Coaching: Abraham Shreve

Building Business: Reid Hoffman

Real estate deal-making: Andy Langsam & Noah Ostroff

Business acquisitions: Codie Sanchez


From whom do you accept influence? I’d love to hear!
 


Thoughts from 5/27/22

Ok....let's get down to the main event. It's Friday and it is time to share what we have learned this week!

We all recognize the world is evolving right in front of our eyes at an increasingly fast pace. How much time are we taking in an attempt to understand why? How much time are we spending learning from previous cycles in history so that we can better adapt today?

One of my favorite authors is Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates. One of the many reasons I admire him is that the books he publishes are nothing more than notes he has taken for himself. He doesn't publish books for the money. He publishes them so he can share what he has learned after a tremendous amount of focused research.

A quote of his recently stopped me in my tracks: "To understand what is coming at you, you must understand what happened before you."

The beautiful thing about this quote to me is that he doesn't just make an amazing theoretical point. He actually produced a fascinating animated video that breaks down how what is happening in our world today has happened many times before. The payoff of watching it? Your brain will know exactly how to weather the storm that will hit a lot of the people on this planet. 

Will you invest the time to watch this video? I hope so! Please check it out and let me know what your biggest takeaway is!
 


Thoughts from 5/23/22

I don't know about you, but I have been yearning for training opportunities that have nothing to do with real estate! I am sick of the same old - same old when it comes to "building our businesses". Frankly, I just have been feeling the need to change it up a bit and pick up some new skills, tips and tricks to make my professional life more fun!

So, yesterday I snuck into an event for 100 private wealth advisors that was being held as a local country club. Yes, I actually entered through the back door, pretended to have a name tag and stood by the back doors for the entire 60 minute presentation. The keynote speaker specializes in helping wealth advisors and estate planners use storytelling to make deep emotional connections with their prospects and clients so they become clients for life. Her name is Deirdre and her business is called Crazy Good Talks(As an aside: I invited her to be the keynote speaker at one of our future IMPACT events so stay tuned)

The entire room was silent and fully engaged throughout her presentation. She was rattling off powerful origin stories of some of her clients and it was obvious to see how the vulnerability and passion came through those stories and into the hearts of their clients. Guests, including stowaways like me, were taking notes furiously. 

One of the stories ended with the phrase: "....What was once a job became a calling!"

Deirdre went on to coach us that in order to move from job to calling usually one of two things has to happen:

  • Something personal touches you and that event caused passion to erupt inside of you to the point that the job to become a calling
  • You got into the business for no real reason and along the way a client or colleague made a big impact on you and you had an "aha" moment

And so, I have to ask you: do you view your career in real estate as a job or as a calling?

If I asked a prospect you met with today if they think you view your role as a real estate agent as a job or a calling, what would they say?

One thing is clear to me: I am 100% about working with passionate people who view our profession as a calling. Changing economic times will forcefully separate the "employed" from those on a "mission". Which lane do you choose? I want to know so I can support you and have your back. 

Anyway...enough about me...what did you learn this week? I'd love to hear!

Have a great day!
 


Thoughts from 5/6/22

This week I learned a valuable lesson in my personal life that I know applies to our professional pursuits as real estate professionals.

I am in the midst of planning for an endurance race called 29029. My coach has given me a strict plan to follow so that I am prepared to climb twenty-nine thousand feet in less than 30 hours in August. 

There is an awesome locally owned running shoe store near my house and I have been meaning to join their "run club" that meets every Thursday, but with complications of balancing schedules of my family I have yet to be able to join the club. Finally, the stars aligned and I would be able to join the club on Thursday night. 

However, I woke up on Thursday morning and it was a rare rainy day in Colorado. So, I decided to get my prescribed miles in on the treadmill instead. 

Fast forward a few hours later and the skies cleared, birds were chirping and it was a perfect 70 degree day with no humidity. My legs were a bit sore because of a long training week and I started to list all of the reasons why I shouldn't head over and join the club. I was literally talking myself out of it. 

I finally decided that I didn't want to miss the opportunity to join the club because I won't be able to get there for the next few weeks. So, I show up and I am greeted by one smiling gentleman, Richard!

Richard is about 6'3" and, as I came to find out, was a former professional cyclist. He would be the only other person who showed up for the run and he was very excited to get some miles in. I was a bit nervous because distance running is a bit new to me AND I an nowhere close to being a professional athlete in any sport!

Oh well, here it goes! So, we head out as a couple and towards the "bluffs" which is a 5 mile trail run that is quite rocky and steep. In addition to being a fantastic runner, Richard is quite a conversationalist. Not only are we climbing and descending quite rapidly (in my opinion), but also he is constantly peppering me with questions....no dead air on this run for me!

Once I got to ask some questions I would find out that he is now a professional runner and just completed the Leadville 100 miler (a bucket list adventure for me) in 28 hours. I was quite literally youtubing documentaries about it all week. Jackpot! Not only did I get an awesome run in, but I also got to spend an hour alone with a professional runner and former professional cyclist (one of my other passions). Any and all questions I had he graciously answered. That one hour will prove to change the trajectory of my training and the runs I will take for the rest of my life. 

By the way, I also had faster mile times on this second, more challenging run than the run I took that morning!

Here are some lessons I learned and will apply in all aspects of my life: 

  • JUST SHOW UP: nothing is going to magically happen sitting on the couch. Get up, get out and get involved. We are all one relationship away from a drastic positive change in our life!
  • DON'T LISTEN TO YOUR BRAIN, LISTEN TO YOUR HEART: our brains try to protect us, but the truth is life is about experiences that push our limits and get us out of our comfort zones!
  • THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS IMPOSTOR SYNDROME: If you have running shoes on you are a runner. Don't let the fact that you are standing next to someone with more experience cause you to believe that you don't belong exactly where you are!
  • FAST OR FAR: the only reason I went farther faster was because I was with someone who knows how to go farther faster. Who you choose to spend time with matters! Who is on your team?

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox now! What did you learn this week? I'd love to hear!