Barking Up the Wrong Tree, Eric Barker
Charles Cherney
Passionate about teaching after graduating from Harvard, I ultimately found myself drawn into the world of real estate in Cambridge and Somerville...
Passionate about teaching after graduating from Harvard, I ultimately found myself drawn into the world of real estate in Cambridge and Somerville...
Barking Up the Wrong Tree
Barking up the Wrong Tree (2017) by Eric Barker. LOVE this book!!! I just finished reading it on my Kindle app on my iPad, and I am going to order a hardcover copy of it for the Charles Cherney Team library at the office.
Here are a few nuggets from Barker in Barking up the Wrong Tree:
"It is better to give than to receive. Look for opportunities to do something for the other person, such as sharing knowledge or offering an introduction to someone that person might not know but would be interested in knowing. Do not be transactional about networking. Do not offer something because you want something in return. Instead, show a genuine interest in something you and the other person have in common." (page 139)
This notion really resonates with me. As Gary Vaynerchuk says elsewhere, the greatest gift is giving and doing things for others without the expectation of return. As a Realtor, I am giving my clients insights & information and advice & counsel. I am putting the other person first and aiming to help them be successful. Yes - when my buyer clients buy and my seller clients sell - I get paid. But what is driving me is giving my clients value, not getting paid.
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"What's the most import thing to remember when it comes to success? One word: alignment. Success is not the result of any single quality; it's about alignment between who you are and where you choose to be. The right skill in the right role. A good person surrounded by other good people. A story that connects you with the world in a way that keeps you going. A network that helps you, and a job that leverages your natural introversion or extroversion. A level of confidence that keeps you going while learning and forgiving yourself for the inevitable failures." (page 263)
Barker is saying a lot here. This quote really brings home the value of diving into this book. For sure, a great deal of self-awareness is required if you are going to end up in the right pond. Right skill. Right role. Right story. Right network. But it's worth it. No regrets on the right path.
Reading this book led me to sign up for Eric Barker's weekly update on his blog. Worthwhile!
Below is a video of Eric Barker talking about his book at Google.