I’ve had the honor to work with a small group of individuals, a team, for a number of years now. In an industry that is generally more focused on the individual, working on a team in real estate was not something I was considering at the beginning. Many people go into real estate with the thought of being their own boss, setting their own schedule and having no one to answer to. In a world consumed with the ‘I’ in everything, I have found that working with and submitting to a team has produced growth in me that I would never have realized on my own.
So, I wanted to share a few thoughts with you on the benefits of submitting to authority, which is NOT something this world of ours is talking about right now! Narcissism (self-centeredness) is a powerful stronghold in our culture today. So much so that I’m convinced most people don’t realize how deeply rooted it is in their hearts. I’m also convinced I’m only scratching the surface in discovering my own self-centeredness. When I’m believing that I am the center of my own world, breakdowns occur in my judgment and in my ability to think and make decisions rationally, and it drastically affects my ability to love others well.
I come from a long line of real estate brokers and investors – all of whom worked on their own for the majority of their careers. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with this, I have found that the process of working closely with a team has brought out my faults and issues in a way I never would have experienced working alone. What a gift this is, to have my eyes opened to my shortcomings! And when you’re a part of a team, which gives its team members the freedom to fail, working through vulnerability and weakness in the context of community is enormously freeing. On the flip side, how much more satisfying and enjoyable it is to celebrate your achievements and growth with people you love! In short, we were not created to live in isolation.
One of my favorite authors, Tim Keller, has this to say from his book ‘The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness’ –
“This is gospel humility, blessed self-forgetfulness. Not thinking more of myself as in modern cultures, or less of myself as in traditional cultures. Simply thinking of myself less.”
So, whether it be engaging other members of your team and deferring to their judgment or ideas, submitting to the seasoned and experienced advice of a parent or pastor, or simply making an effort to put someone else’s interests above your own, rejecting our world’s idolatry of the self is a path to freedom and joy.
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Copyright 2021 Atha Team at Keller Williams Colorado West Realty, LLC. If you have a brokerage relationship with another agency, this is not intended as a solicitation. Equal opportunity housing provider. Each office is independently owned and operated. For sale by owner data not included in research findings. Sales data reflects sales from homes not limited to the Atha Team LLC. This information was gathered from Keller Williams, The National Association of Realtor, CoreLogic data analysis firm, Montrose Association of Realtors, and the Mortgage Brokers Association. This data is considered accurate, but is not guaranteed. All Rights Reserved.