One Scary Thing a Day

Do at least one scary thing a day. You have heard me say it before, but are you doing it in your lives? Are you getting out of your comfort zones?

Skiing off a cliff is not the only way to do something scary. Missing a meeting and trusting another manager to handle it. Hiring someone without the proper credentials/experience because they have the attitude we want. Doing a program that could allow a significant amount of our residents terminate their leases in mid term with little warning. Buying apartment buildings in the worst economy of our generation. Asking a person you are interested in for their phone number. Spending billions creating a musical device to fit in peoples pockets. Call a property owner that keeps hanging up on you.

All sound really scaring don't they? But they can lead to awesome rewards. Like tremendous profits, freeing up hours of time because a subordinate stepped up his responsibilities, a date on Friday night, the feeling of flying through the air, 97% occupancy. These are some nice rewards.

So let's go out and do scary things. As Steve Jobs says "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish".

Attached is a photo of Jonathan Colton on skiis flying off a cliff, 25 feet into the air and then landing on a giant airbag. I went before him and and encouraged him to do the same. When Colton hit the airbag, all I heard was laughter. I try to do something scary everyday and encourage others to do the same. Sometimes its just telling someone that I screwed up or that I can't keep them employed. Or even giving back a property to a bank before it brings down the entire company. Hard, scary decisions. Some right, some wrong, but they need to be made and executed on.

Life and work are full of adventures, do something that scares you and you will be surprised of the results.

Let's make it happen.

Nick