Learning to Slow Down in a Fast-Paced World
In real estate, everyone talks about hustle. We glorify the idea of working fast, jumping on opportunities, and closing deals before the competition even knows what’s happening. I get it—speed matters. But here’s the truth: sometimes moving too fast costs you more than taking your time.
I didn’t fully understand the value of patience until I started taking my training in the gym seriously. Powerlifting and boxing may look like sports that are all about explosive energy, but in reality, both require incredible discipline and timing. You can’t just load the bar with the heaviest weight and expect to hit a personal record. You have to build up slowly, week by week, letting your body adapt. You can’t just throw punches wildly and expect to win in the ring—you have to study your opponent, pick your moment, and strike with precision.
That mindset completely shifted the way I look at real estate.
The Waiting Game in Real Estate
When you’re working with clients, there’s always pressure to make quick moves. Sometimes it’s the market, sometimes it’s the buyer’s fear of missing out, and sometimes it’s just the adrenaline rush that comes with the search. But the reality is, not every property that looks good today will be a smart investment tomorrow.
I’ve had situations where waiting just a little longer meant finding a better deal, securing a better location, or negotiating terms that made all the difference in the long run. Patience isn’t about sitting back and doing nothing—it’s about using time strategically. Just like in the gym, progress in real estate isn’t measured by how fast you start, but by the results you get over time.
Lessons from the Weight Room
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in powerlifting is that strength is built during the rest period, not just during the lift. The same principle applies to real estate. Your “rest periods” are the times you’re researching, watching the market, and letting the right conditions come together.
When I’m training for a big lift, I don’t max out every single session. I work in cycles, gradually increasing my capacity. That way, when I do go for the heavy lift, I’m ready and I hit it with confidence. In real estate, I treat deals the same way—I don’t push clients to rush into something just because it’s available today. I want to make sure we’re fully prepared, the timing is right, and all the factors are in place to make a strong move.
The Boxing Ring and the Negotiation Table
Boxing has taught me another kind of patience—the kind you need when you’re face-to-face with an opponent. In the ring, you can’t show all your cards right away. You wait, you watch, and you look for that perfect opening. A single well-timed punch can be worth more than ten rushed ones.
Negotiations in real estate are exactly the same. The best deal often comes from holding your ground, reading the other side’s moves, and making your offer when the timing is just right. Rushing into a negotiation can make you miss the subtle cues that tell you the other side is ready to agree.
Patience as a Competitive Advantage
Some people think patience means losing out on opportunities, but I’ve found it’s actually the opposite. When you’re willing to wait for the right moment, you make fewer mistakes, you waste less energy, and you end up with results that last.
In a competitive market, a lot of agents are quick to jump on whatever’s in front of them just to say they closed a deal. But I’ve built my reputation by helping clients make moves that stand the test of time. That comes from patience—patience to wait for the right property, patience to hold out for the right buyer, and patience to stick to the strategy we agreed on instead of chasing short-term wins.
Balancing Patience and Action
Of course, patience doesn’t mean inaction. You can’t just sit around waiting for the perfect deal to magically appear. Just like in training, you have to stay active—scouting properties, studying trends, talking to people, and keeping your skills sharp. The patience comes in knowing when to act and when to hold back.
It’s a balance I work on every day, both in business and in the gym. Too much hesitation can cost you, but so can rushing into the wrong move. The sweet spot is knowing your goals, sticking to your plan, and trusting the process, even when it feels slow.
Patience Beyond Real Estate
Patience has made me a better broker, but it’s also made me better at life. It’s taught me that big results don’t come from one big action—they come from hundreds of small, consistent actions over time. Whether I’m lifting weights, sparring in the ring, or working with clients, the principle is the same: build the foundation, wait for the right moment, and then execute with confidence.
The Payoff
Looking back, I’m glad I learned patience in the gym before I learned it in the market. The weight room taught me that real growth is invisible at first. You don’t see it in a day, or a week—but give it enough time, and one day you realize you’re capable of things you never imagined.
That’s the same feeling I get when a client closes on a property we’ve been watching for months, or when an investment pays off exactly the way we planned. It’s proof that patience works. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.