Mortgage Technology and Beyond: Now That You Are Rich(er)John D. SvirskyMortgage Technology, John D. Svirsky
One of the many benefits of 2002 has been that so many of us had
our prayers answered, whether financial, physical or spiritual.
Personally, I have worked on the balance between the three, yet the
pressures of the business were so overwhelming and time-consuming,
that it was a challenge to find a middle ground and balance these
equally-important areas. Many of us made more money this year than
ever before. Most of us even surpassed last year's numbers, which
were already exorbitant. So, what are you going to do with the
abundance you have earned? Without getting too spiritual, one of
the tenets of my life has been to take that which I have been given
and raise it to an even higher level. For example, when I
originally bought my house, it was not pretty, and the grounds were
filled with vines and overgrowth. Today, after years of labor and
hard work, I have beautiful gardens, and my house is very
respectable.
Therefore, during the holiday season, I am taking stock of what
I have been given. Every year, between Christmas and New Year's, I
make several lists for myself. I would like to share them with you,
in case you might want to incorporate your personalized version of
this into your own life.
As I have shared in previous articles, morning is a very special
time of the day for me. Others might choose later hours, but more
important than the time of day is privacy-make sure to carve out
time for yourself, without interruptions from family or business. I
use this time to connect with my inner self, my values, and my
sense of purpose. I ponder why the hell I am working so hard? I
would hate to look back on my life and wonder where my hard work
took me. You know the statement: On their death bed, nobody ever
wishes that they had spent more time at the office.
Therefore, each holiday season, I write a gratitude list.
Sometimes, this can go on for pages, because I write down
everything I am grateful for in my life. There is nothing too small
to be appreciated. I express gratitude for family and friends, and
for my choice of values. I am grateful for my home and my
belongings-I even write down things I usually take for granted,
like hot, running water. Most aspects my life take on a clearer
perspective when written down, rather than remembered. My gratitude
list helps me become more conscious of what is important to me and
what is not.
In writing my gratitude list, an unexpected emotion kept coming
to the surface, one that I spent more time denying than
acknowledging-fear. I could never pinpoint the actual reasons, but
fear constantly showed up for my gratitude party, suggesting that
my lengthy list was all the result of luck. Perhaps I might have
had a good couple of years, but ... I didn't really deserve it. I
was simply in the right place at the right time. I didn't work as
hard as my colleagues. It also suggested that I must work even
harder for my money in 2003, because the rest of the industry is
much better prepared than I am. Fear plays on all of my
insecurities. So, I found a perfect way to deal with my fear and
insecurities-by welcoming their addition to my party.
For so many years, I would deny anything that was not positive,
but I have come to understand that a positive mental includes some
negativity. It means recognizing all of my feelings, encouraging me
to act only on those feelings which will help me grow. So, on a
separate sheet of paper, so as to not be confused with the
gratitude list, I make another list of everything that frightens
me.
It's simply astounding how many things I feared would happen to
me. Give yourself the proper permission, and do not let your
intellect rationalize and explain why the fears are not justified.
Use this as an opportunity to express what is normally repressed.
The fear list can bring up fears we absorbed as early childhood;
for example, one of mine is losing my fortune in the ways that I
watched my family members do so, and creating a recurring pattern
of gain and loss. This particular fear never materialized until I
started writing-it was there; I just didn't know it. There is
something magical about bringing that which has been buried for so
long to the surface. Fear is a terrible thing, but denial makes it
even stronger, and eventually fuels it into physical
manifestation.
After writing down both what you are grateful for and what you
fear, the next step is to connect these lists with your goals and
desires. If you took a year-long sabbatical, how would you spend
your time? Would you sleep later? Would you write more? Would you
take up a sport or hobby? Let your unexpressed dreams come to the
surface, and do not let your intellect or inner judge discourage or
embarrass you.
So, get to work, and start writing those lists. It has been
proven time and time again-what is conceived, can be achieved. You
might even be surprised by what surfaces.
John D. Svirsky is a member of the New York Association of Mortgage
Brokers, a volunteer firefighter, avid cigar enthusiast, and
has been in business for approximately 20 years. He may be reached
by phone at (845) 424-3388 or e-mail
[email protected]
