Life lessons learned from watching the Tour de France

Watching the Tour de France has been an annual event for me for as long as I can remember. I enjoy seeing the action of the race as well as the sites of France along the way. Here are a few life lessons I have gleamed from watching the Tour all these years.

  1. Although only 1 rider will win, it takes a strong team to make that happen.
  2. Accidents happen all the time. The key is to pick yourself up and keep going.
  3. If you break away from the pack you end up working harder than if you stayed with your team.
  4. Planning ahead will make your journey much more enjoyable.
  5. Pace yourself, you can’t go full gas all the time.
  6. Without proper rest you can’t compete at a high level day in and day out.
  7. At 21 stages, it’s a long race and those who win are good at many things.
  8. Proper nutrition will improve your performance. We can’t power though our days on caffeine and cigarettes alone. 
  9. Competition will push ourselves to work harder and you may surprise yourself on what you are capable of doing.
  10. Cheaters never win. 

Today I am thankful for being able to watch the Tour this year even though it is not carried on any tv channels, the slower pace of a rainy day and watching the leaders battle it out on the mountains.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

It’s getting Hot

Now that we are past the Canada day weekend it seems that summer is now in full swing. This has also brought the onset of the higher temperatures and high humidity. So I thought it would be only fitting to write up a few tips to help getting through those hot days a little more bearable.

  • Stay inside ( hopefully air conditioned ) during the peak times of the day from 10-4.
  • Drink plenty of fluids, buy this I mean water as coffee is a diuretic which means it takes water from your system.
  • Wear lightweight light coloured loose fitting clothing
  • Don’t overdo it when it’s really hot and humid. Take lots of breaks and pace yourself.
  • Make sure that your pets have plenty of fluids available as they get hot too
  • Check on family members, neighbour and seniors who live alone as they may be having a hard time.
  • Lastly this is a great time to feast on fresh produce like strawberries & watermelon. They taste great and help keep you hydrated.

With records being broken last week for the hottest average days on the planet, we may be experiencing more of the hot hot hot weather. With a little preparation we can get through them and hopefully some of the tips may help you.

Today I am thankful for a few enjoyable days off last week with my family, a sort of cool basement office and getting a workout and dog walk done before the sun even came up.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Pay Dividends

Many people don’t realize it as you go about your day but it’s the little things that you do sometimes that pay dividends over the long haul of your life.

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator will pay dividends

Choosing to relax to a good book instead of tv will pay dividends

Staying organized will pay dividends

Paying your bills on time will pay dividends

Being kind will pay dividends

Getting enough sleep with pay dividends

Being good with your money will pay dividends

The proper mindset will pay dividends

Being there to listen to friends and loved ones will pay dividends

Doing your homework and being prepared will pay dividends

Showing up on time as promised will pay dividends

Dressing for success will pay dividends

Answering your phone when you work for yourself will pay dividends

In this day and age of instant gratification, it is nice to know that doing the little things consistently over time will pay dividends throughout your whole life. There is no quick fix or magic pill that will help you get to where you want to go. However the little thoughtful actions taken consistently over time will compound and give you a truly magically life.

Today I am thankful a brisk 5K run with my neighbour this morning, happy clients after a long process to funding and learning to consistently do the little things.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Take it to 11

As Spinal Tap famously said, turn it up to 11. When you think that you are giving it all, putting in all your effort but still not getting the results that you wanted. However most people find that they still have some left in the tank. We only get one go at this thing called life so sometimes it is necessary to take it to 11 to get what you truly want.

Saving up a downpayment is tough, especially in these days of high inflation where everything costs us more. However it is necessary if you are ever to become a homeowner. It is also challenging to improve your credit if you sometimes don’t have enough to meet your monthly obligations.

The good news is that companies are still hiring. The economy is always looking for people who hustle. Don’t blame the economy for your past poor results. Some people have always done well in challenging economic times, be one of them.

Today I am thankful for all the help that I have received in pushing though my limits, keeping cool heads so solutions could be found and enjoying the longest day of the year.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Follow the recipe

Recipe is a set of instructions which is likely to lead to a particular outcome. Just like leaving 3 kids unattended with jars of open paint lying around is a recipe for disaster. The same can be said that if you are looking to succeed then follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before you, as success leaves clues.

My cousin the Tech Support and computer wiz would always say if someone had a technical issue then RTFM. Read the freeking manual. While there is no manual for this thing called life there are certainly many recipes or guides to help us get to where we want to go.

People often use the excuse that they have tried everything when they are getting very poor results. When in fact that they haven’t. Library’s, book stores and the internet are full of stories of people just like you who overcame the odds and improved their relationships, got in fantastic shape or gone from rages to riches.

While these stores are not laid out like recipes in the traditional sense they are still widely available to guide us though the process from where we are now to where we want to go. So the best suggestion is to put down Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or the television remote and pick up a book instead. Success does leave clues and reading the stories of those who have achieved the results that we are going after is the best way to insure that we get them.

Today I am thankful for files closing, the restorative factor of daily exercise and books, lots of great books written on or about those who have succeeded in the past.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Blank Cheque

It doesn’t not matter how the previous day or week went, good, bad or otherwise. Monday is a blank cheque to start things off on the right foot. Set your intentions for the week and focus on what you want to achieve. Then take some action, small wins will add up and give you massive momentum for the week ahead.

This is my Monday motivation as much for myself as it is for anyone else. So much I want to achieve this week and getting off on the right foot on Monday seems like the best place to start. If you didn’t start your streak of actions that will help move you forward last week then today is the perfect time to start.

“You’re off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So get on your way!”
— Dr. Seuss

Today I am thankful for a great Father’s day yesterday, that the well deserved rain gave me as good a reason as any to have a rest day and learning something new by reading about leaders in past conflicts.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Boring

I don’t like life if it’s not challenging. Heard this saying during my Peloton class this morning and it definitely rings true. She also reminded us that talent isn’t impressive, but commitment is. Inspiration comes from the strangest places sometimes.

As much as we don’t like it sometimes, it better to be challenged and committed to your goals than being bored and just going through the motions. What you are working towards doing should scare you a little bit. You don’t have to know how it will get done, just have faith that you know that you can do it.

Doing the same old thing day in and day out will not help move you forward. Nobody wants to be bored or comfortable all the time. There should be a balance between comfortable and pushing your self forward toward your goals.

Change in inevitable so get use to it. Standing in one place will only insure that you get run over, so embrace the challenges in your life and keep pushing forward.

It’s challenging to save up a down payment, but many many people are able to do it. It’s challenging to pay your bills on time and maintain good credit but many people are also able to do it. It is also challenging to work more than one job so you can afford a better life for you and your family and many people do just that.

Don’t be bored, comfortable or complacent be driven, inspired and focused instead. Embrace the challenges in life as you become better by overcoming them.

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it” Molière

Today I am thankful for the Friday chat’s with my family, the subsequent challenges that help transform me into a better version of myself and limits that were overcome by staying consistent and pushing myself.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Be a Magnet

Be a magnet to what you want to attract in your life. You have probably heard people talk about the power of attraction for years and thought that it was a bunch of new age BS. That you could get things into your life just by thinking about it. There is more to it than that.

It falls along the principle of Be, Do, Have. People often mix up the order of the first two but it is essential that you master “Be” or all the “Do’s” won’t amount to much.

Be the person that has already achieved the goals that you want to have.

Do the actions necessary to get you there

Then you will have the results that you are looking for.

Part of being the magnet is also being keenly aware of your moods when things are going well and also when they are not. You could be having a great day until someone cuts you off in traffic or your kid did something or you spilt your coffee. Don’t let one event take you off course for what you want to achieve. Mind your mind and you will very quickly realize that want you have been working towards is very quickly showing up in your life.

We can’t control the weather, world events or how our favourite sports team did recently but we can 100% control how we react to situations. Nobody wants to be around someone who complains all the time but we are invisibly drawn to those who are cheerful and in a good mood. Take advantage of that part of your life that you have total control over which is your attitude and your focus and nothing will stop you.

“What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.” Buddha

Today I am thankful for a great Thursday morning 5K run with my neighbour, be inherent benefit of minding your mind and being aware of what is happening based on what mood I am in and rush hour traffic is always easier to handle with good company.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Biggest Risk

I haven’t included a quote in my posts in a long time but this one came to mind recently. Far too often we strive to be comfortable rather than inspired, passionate, determined or driven. We settle for what is easy rather than pushing ourselves for what we know that we deserve.

“Life is inherently risky. There is only one big risk that you should avoid at all costs, and that is the risk of doing nothing”. Denis Waitley

It takes work to create a great life, but not so much to eeek out a living and just get through the day. Yet we all want the nice house, the fancy car and the nice vacations every year. Putting it on credit cards seems easy while saving up the money requires much more work. One has a lot more work at the beginning while the other has all the consequences at the end.

It takes risk to start a business. It is risky to get a trade or a university degree. It’s risky to work on commission in sales. It’s risky to push yourself physically. It could also be risky to invest in real estate. However it is risker still to work for someone else making less than the standard of living. It is riskier to watch several hours of tv a night rather than reading or working on improving your self.

You either pay for it by risking it all in the short term to get long term benefits or you do next to nothing in the short term to have pay for it in the end by having no heath or finances to enjoy your life. Nobody gets out of this alive, so decide where you want to have the risk in life.

“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way” Babe Ruth

Today I am thankful for the rain again this morning, the benefits I experience from getting up with the sun every day and having the courage to bet on myself each and every day.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here

Start Slow

Many of us have dreams of greatness. Achieving more than one could ever thought possible. Yet most of us make zero to no progress toward those goals. We get bogged down by the work, focus or determination it would take to make those dreams a reality so some people don’t even start.

There are some who get going and take massive action yet end up burned out by their perceived lack of progress. We should all be more like the tortoise rather than the hare and start slow and keep plugging away at it until you have achieved what you set out to achieve.

I can remember back not that long ago when I had trouble just running 5K, now I do this regularly and in-fact just finished a half marathon last month. Starting slow a few steps at a time done consistently will help you get to your objective. Take any large goal and break it down into small bite sized pieces and almost anything becomes possible.

The same philosophy can be applied to saving up a down payment for your first home or building a nest egg for retirement. Start small and be relentless about your commitment and you will get there. Saving just $5 a day by making your own coffee instead of buying it at Starbucks will add up to $1,825 over just one year. While this will may not give you much over the 1st year, when you add this up with other savings it will increase exponentially.

Take the first step, save the 1st dollar or do the 1st pushup and miracles will happen when you stay consistent over time and add to what you have already started. It’s not how fast you start but the fact that you constantly take the action and don’t quit.

Today I am thankful for the little actions taken over time that have allowed me to do what I do today, that small movements have never taken that much effort to do and that I was able to read over 30 books last year by only reading for 20 minutes a day.

I look forward to hearing from you in regard to your mortgage needs.

Patrick

p.s- You can click on this link to start the process whenever you are ready. Schedule your meeting with me here.

p.s.s- I should tell you that I am licensed in Nova Scotia Brokerage (2022-3000179) Broker (2022-3000180), Ontario(M18001555) & in British Columbia(BCFSA #504098).

p.s.s.s You can download my new mortgage app here