You don't have to be going straight-Just Forward!

I found something called "The Scary Times Success Manual" this week.  It's written by Dan Sullivan who has a company called Strategic Coach.  With so many people facing challenges I thought the this was very poignant.  Here are the 'headlines.'  Let me know if you'd like me to send you a copy of the whole piece.

1. Forget about yourself, focus on others.
2. Forget about your commodity, focus on your relationships.
3. Forget about the sale, focus on creating value.
4. Forget about your losses, focus on your opportunities.
5. Forget about your difficulties, focus on your progress.
6. Forget about the “future,” focus on today.
7. Forget about who you were, focus on who you can be.
8. Forget about events, focus on your responses.
9. Forget about what’s missing, focus on what’s available.
10. Forget about your complaints, focus on your gratitude.

Without knowing that I had been mulling it over, my wife recently surprised me with a Kindle.  I read almost continuously and love books and wasn't sure if I could 'give up' the 'book.'  I love my Kindle. It's great for travel although it's considered 'anything with an on-off switch' by the flight attendants so you have to wait until 10,000 feet and shut it down on landing.  The ones I've read on it so far are:  On the Road, The Crossroads Cafe, Fireflies in December, Still Alice, The Time of My Life, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea, Last Words, What the Dog Saw....

Our industry colleague, Jim Hime of Lionstone Group has just published his third novel.  This one is called "Where Armadillos Go To Die."  I have not read it yet but I have read Jim's two other books which were excellent mysteries set in the Southwest.  Congratulations Jim.  I'll be picking it up this weekend.

RCA's first U.S. Capital Trends Report of 2010 came out the other day.  While the NY Times had an article today "Further Slide Seen in NY Commercial Real Estate"  I think this opening paragraph from the RCA report bodes well:

The overall universe of commercial real estate players might have shrunk in the downturn, but a significant group of new players have gathered on the sidelines and are waiting to deploy capital. Transaction volume in 2009 was historically low, and accordingly, the number of new entrants into the direct property market was the lowest in years. However, it is clear that there has been a notable pickup in activity by new buyers over the past few months.

In addition we've been seeing more Family Offices showing sincere interest in investing in real estate, many for the first time.  It's just that those entities are hard to find as they like to stay below the radar.  Maybe I would too if I had some serious money!

Photo: This morning.  The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree's last hurrah.

Restaurant of the Week:  Spice Fusion, 8th Avenue bet. 47th & 48th in Manhattan.  If you walked by this place without knowing about it you probably wouldn't go in.  You should.  (http://www.myspicefusion.com)

On the road.....
Jan. 20-22:  Boston and Connecticut
Jan. 25-26:  Philadelphia and other Pennsylvania spots
Feb. 9-11:  Rancho Palos Verdes, CA to attend IREI's VIP Conference
Feb. 18-19:  Chapel Hill, NC to attend and be a judge at the Kenan-Flagler Real Estate Challenge
Mar. 24-25:  Boston to attend the PREA Spring Conference





These are my views and not that of my employer.