Squeezing the Toothpaste Tube

Posted on 14. Nov, 2008 by Jay OHare in Career, Real Estate

I’m wondering how much more I can get out of my tube of toothpaste. It’s pretty spent but I keep mashing it to get through another day without having to buy more i.e. spend money. To me that tube is iconic of the times; squeezing every ounce out of whatever we have to give us a bit more runway, a bit more time to let the market get back on its feet.

I thought about doing an interview with a financial planner for this blog but in the end I’m not sure that would really accomplish much. Just Google “Financial Tips” and you’ll find all you need. Instead, I think having conversations and getting real about the issues at hand is far more valuable.

As I look at the crumpled tube of toothpaste I wonder what it’s going to take to prosper from and through this time. I say prosper “from” because I do believe that there will be a time in my future where I’ll look back and say, “Yeah 2008 really sucked but it forced me to do ‘X’ and now look where I am.” And I suppose that’s the point; doing “X.” The thing, stuff, whatever, that we’ve been keeping on the back burner because times were good and we didn’t need it. It’s now about thinking and acting more aggressively and proactively. Maybe this is the way to have been all along. Squeezing the toothpaste tube only goes so far and finding motivation to not just sit still & get run over is a far better option.

So I’m dusting off some old ideas & creating some new ones that hopefully add great value. And my bet is that in this time people are more accepting to look at things in a new way. They have a lot less to lose and I’m betting that anything geared toward easing the pain and creating more business is welcome. We’ll see.

So how about you? What’s been on your back burner? Could it be simple stuff like learning to touch-type or that client relationship management system you’ve always been meaning to create. How about your bookshelf? How many books have you been meaning to read but never found the time? I wonder if you have the time now.

Related posts:

1. Why Do Some Brokers Do Well in Bad Times?