Today, I was reminded of the value of firmness. It is not a matter of being in the right or wrong situation. It is a matter of deciding what will be the best for the project and the persons involved. A wrong decision can easily destroy a good possibility, so we have to be very careful.
One of my clients helped me see this by watching him became very unsteady after listening to different opinions. He froze, without the ability to proceed with his mission in landing a deal successfully. Instead, he got angry due to misunderstanding and fear.
I learned today that when our decisions are based on ethics, and not on pure self-interest, we become more powerful because we don’t have to lie and pretend. This is especially true in the real estate field where negotiation is an everyday part of the transaction. There are clients who are fond of circumventing the laws and ethics to serve their own interests, but it’s a destructive pattern that can easily backfire.
I learned that having a good education is not enough to build a solid character. A good attitude comes from experience, insight, and compassion. Today, I saw an affluent and well-educated person mock a less fortunate who has done nothing wrong. I witnessed arrogance, intolerance, and oppression. I was tempted to pull punches, but I had sense enough to talk calmly to the oppressed and the oppressor with the feeling of entering a hacienderas & muchachas era. It’s sad that this social leveling and barbaric attitude still exists. Imagine an educated personality getting a backward mentality motivated by greed, pride, and a high nose. Move forward, hija.
I learned that before I judge a person, I have to listen to the other side of the story. The most efficient way of solving a problem is in a peaceful way because the consequences of handling it badly could end in severe violence like what almost happened today: a weapon was produced during my attempt to calm down a Real Estate deal. I learned how fatal wrong decisions can be.