Making the impossible happen
I love watching ted.com. It's a bunch of smart & interesting people telling stories about what was accomplished with limited resources. I was especially interested in this Mount Everest story from the lone medical professional on the mountain when a devastating storm struck the summit and killed 8 people. The story here isn't about the tragic deaths, but the survivors, particularly one survivor that had been left for dead for more than 24 hrs in 40 below zero wind chills. He managed somehow to convert every ounce of his energy into the effort required to save his life and walk down the mountain. Watch the video below because there is some science to this, but I am amazed by the sheer willpower of a human being to stay alive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bgqc2m7aBzs
Science is still trying to explain some of the amazing feats accomplished by people when survival is at stake. Someday they will, but until then, we call it the power of hope and have to realize that it can do amazing things.
At Signature Community we have been fighting for survival in a very bad real estate market, a horrible financing market and an even worse job market. All the worst conditions when you are a real estate operator. Despite the terrible market conditions, we have done amazing things over the past 2 years that I don't think would have been possible except in times of extreme survival mode. We are managing better with less. We are collecting more from fewer employed residents. We have taken a dire situation made fast, direct and tough decisions to cut costs, sell property or restructure deals that are giving us a chance to get to the other side of this mountain of economic problems.
I thank everyone for thinking and doing what a survivor would do to get us out of this giant perfect storm. I have no doubt that the lessons we learned and the instincts gained over the past 18 months will be invaluable over the next 18 years.
Thanks for making it happen at signature community.
Nick
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