I love the thought that every day we can choose to build with the straw of ignorance and negativity, or we can build with the stones of knowledge and optimism…

I love the power that words can have to inspire and to invoke emotion or thought.  I have a lot of favorite writers (I’m sure you’ll hear some Robert Frost from me at some point), but it was Walt Whitman that came to mind this morning regarding personal accountability: “Not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you.  You must travel it by yourself.  It is not far.  It is within reach.  Perhaps you have been on it since you were born, and did not know.  Perhaps it is everywhere – on water and land.” – and excerpt from Leaves of Grass.

My company provides many tools for our employees: from our industry-leading 7-day process, to unique marketing, world class CRM platforms, trainings, classes for partners, and pre-packaged relationships we can provide.  We also provide deeply rooted culture and a healthy sense of philanthropic perspective.  As such, we can provide an altruistic platform from which to sell.  And we can provide intrigue and excitement that can be sold to recruits, borrowers and partners alike.  But one thing my company will never be able to do is travel the road for our employees…   We provide ALL the tools to be successful, but employees must first understand them, and then they must use them.  We give them cultural and reputational weapons with which to develop relationships and a reputation; but only the employees can make sure “it is everywhere”, and only they can infuse positivity into any given situation.  In business, as it is in life…

In all that each of us has done since we were born and the way we carry ourselves every day, we are always building a personal reputation.  For those of us who have ever faltered in our lives: some of us may have altered that reputation by at least TRYING to change…while others make their reputations perpetually worse by caving to negativity.  We must remember that we can make a daily choice to change our engagement in positivity.  We must realize that in every new interaction, we are building upon a reputational foundation.   Some of us may have been provided that foundation and floor plans by our parents, or a mentor, or a even a company; but no matter what advantages we are given, WE must actually build it. 

Make sure you are building with every available tool at your disposal.  If we use ALL the schematics, we will likely build an impenetrable fortress.  If we DON’T use all the tools, then we will inevitably have noticeable weaknesses.  And therein we circle back to the daily choice: We can build with the straw of ignorance and negativity, or we can build with the stones of acute knowledge and optimism.  But no person or company can force us to choose the straw or the stone on any given day…because “not I, nor anyone else can travel that road for you”.    

Have a great week!

* Ian Aubourg the Regional Director for Movement Mortgage.