How we think depends upon our values….
May 20, 2009 – 9:28 am
Plumeria, a flower that is real, true and very valuable to me
In a recent conversation with a woman looking to rent a home, it was revealed that she had all three key elements that comprised the perfect tenant: a good credit score, ample income and an unblemished rental history. Her application was so flawless, I asked why she wasn’t buying. After all, this was the best buyer’s market Charleston has seen in a long time. Years from now, people will be kicking themselves saying “I wished I had bought back in 2009/2010.”
Her answer intrigued me. She said “I’ve been a homeowner. I’ve made the profits real estate can offer and I’ve saved enough to hold me for a long time. Even though this may be a great time to buy, I choose not to buy because I choose not to own anything. I’d rather rent and free myself of the worries and the hassles of possessions.
Of course, the Realtor in me went right to maintenance free Condos, Townhouses, Over-50 communities, etc. She just smiled and said, “You don’t understand. It’s ownership that I choose to relinquish.” What could I say? We got her a nice rental.
Nasturtium - some love its beauty; others love to eat it.
But it did make me think. (Yes, I could do an hour long monologue on the concepts of ownership versus experience but I’ll save that for another day.) What it really did was open my awareness to the possibility that all the logical arguments in the world inevitably land in the minds of others. And these others have their own set of value filters through which they process the logic given.
Just another example of that age old series of value questions. Whether you’re aware of them or not, every time you receive information you ask yourself these three questions. The answers to each determine the response you choose. (For those eggheads out there, this concept is found in Eschatology)
The questions:
- Is it real to me?
- Is it true to me?
- Is it valuable to me?
Funny, if you answer “no” to any of these, the information gets tucked into the recesses of your mind, dismissed until you “feel” differently. Food for thought.
Happy Day,
