Inspiring

9 Comments 09 March 2011

For years I’ve surrounded myself with people I like (most of us do this, it’s pretty natural), but also people that have gifts. Everyone has some kind of unique gift, but we make choices in who we gravitate toward. The people I gravitate toward, to me, are inspiring. Not just the fact that I like them, but how their unique gift, as a human being, sticks with me. With the way the Internet has evolved with social media I’m exposed to even more inspiring people than ever before, and what I find is that technology also allows me to memorialize interactions with these people. Whether we follow each other on Twitter, interact on Facebook, or even if I just subscribe to their daily blog, we’re connected and I have a log of our interactions and ideas.

Hugh MacLeod has a little cartoon about inspiration I shared in a post last week. Today, even more than ever, I think we have the opportunity to inspire and be inspired. We have the opportunity to share our unique gifts, and we also have the opportunity to soak in and seek out the unique gifts of others. I know I will continue to share my thoughts and ideas here, and I truly look forward to connecting with more of you along the way.

To try to kick start the idea of inspiring one another, I’d like to share some inspiration with you. Yesterday, Gary Vaynerchuk‘s new book, The Thank You Economy, came out. Gary has been an inspiration to me in this online world, and after diving into his book yesterday I will tell you that he has inspired me even more. Gary gives, all the time, as much as he can. Family first, but then passionately in business!

I’d like to give the gift of Gary, because I feel this book outlines why it’s so critical today to view your customers, marketing, and your overall business differently.

I have 3 brand new, signed, first edition copies of his new book. Share a story here on my blog or on my my Facebook page about someone, something, or whatever that inspires you, and I’ll send Gary’s book to my 3 favorite stories. Please, while you’re sharing, also share this with a friend so they can share their inspirational stories as well.

I’ll announce the winners next Thursday, March 17th. Thanks so much! I look forward to your stories.

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Stephanie Burns

What a great idea! For me, there has been one person in my life that has been a huge inspiration – my son Will. My husband and I had him when I was only 24, and we had no idea what we were in for. Will was born at 35 weeks with a congenital heart defect and a single kidney. Will required heart surgeries that forced us to fly across the country for, but he got the best healthcare possible. He was only with us for 147 days, but I learned so much in that short time. At such a young age I managed to gain a perspective that few have and live their life by. Life is a gift – I understand what is important in life and not to sweat the small stuff. I try to honor Will’s memory by the living the best life I possibly can.

http://homeisjchart.com Mark

Stephanie,

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I agree life is a gift. It’s amazing how some of the most challenging and stressful moments in our lives can inspire us to be better people. Your story is so sad, but I really admire you for taking away such a positive outlook on the rest of your life. You’ve definitely inspired me today. Thank you!

@mbj

http://homeisjchart.com Mark

From Brian Owen on Twitter – Jimmy V inspires me… http://youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E
Tammy

About 12 years ago, I started in this industry with an amazing company as a leasing consultant. What I learned from this company was the value of the small things and carry them through with the staff I work with today. We had a concierge at that time, at a B property, and the concierge was an amazing position. We were able to create weekly activiities for our residents which brought about a culture that I thought was the norm in the apartment industry, as I had never lived in nor been part of an apartment community. That wasn’t my position but I really enjoyed being part of planning and going to these functions. This added extension of the office helped create repor with residents which poured into leasing because we started feeling really comfortable with sharing what our community was about, soley based on our resident activities. I was on cloud nine because I loved creating that type of community. When I thought it really couldn’t get any better, I received a package in the office from the corporate office. This corporate office was located in a different state, was in the middle of merging with another large corporation and had sent me (a leasing associate, whom they never had contact with) a package. Kind of scarey to receive a package at work from your corporate office and all I could hope was that it was not anything bad. In anticipation I opened it. It was a bag of caramel popcorn with a label that read “Thank you for popping into our residents lives!” They surveyed our residents every few months and a resident had left a positive comment about my service to them. What a great way to start in this industry! Every community I get to work with, we create resident activities, where they haven’t been created before. Each interaction we have whether it’s with residents or prospects can impact their lives in a positive or negative way. Let’s make it positive, as they will impact us in the same way!

http://homeisjchart.com Mark

Thanks for your story Tammy! Love it!!!

And, that, folks, is what The Thank You Economy is about!

http://www.rental-living.com Kathleen Silver

Hi Mark!

Thank you so much for blogging this post on multi-family insiders. I keep up with the blogs on this site but lately haven’t as there is a lot going on at work with changes, training, new software, new employees, new corporate objectives…whew!!!

I’m in my 19th year of on-site management. Multi-family has given me some incredible life lessons. The residents have proven to inspire and challenge me each and every year.

I have to say these days, finding inspiration hasn’t come easily. I am either not looking for it as much as I should, or not recognizing it. Either way, I appreciate your post as it reminds me that unless I sit with the thought of “what’s inspiring me here”, I’m going to quickly become uninspired or, for lack of a better term, subject to “stinkin’ thinkin’”.

So, thanks! Keep the reading recommendations coming. And, I have to say that job #1 for me today is to look for what’s in front of me that I can take inspiration from.

http://homeisjchart.com Mark

YES! There are moments of inspiration everywhere you turn. Grab it! Write it down. Save it. Then apply it. Note: Don’t hold onto it for too long.

Thanks for the comment Kathleen!

@mbj

http://homeisjchart.com Mark

Congratulations Stephanie, Tammy, and Kathleen! For your great stories I’ll be sending you a signed copy of The Thank You Economy. Please email me at markjuleen at gmail dot com with the address you would like me to send your book.

Thanks so much for contributing!!!