All posts by Keith Thompson

Five hand written goals – June 2007

Career

On the wall behind my desk are hand written 90-day goals of the five people (including mine) when we started Hotel AG in June of 2007. I had just left a very large global real estate company and it was one of the scariest times I have experienced. I had always worked with other people and partners and the idea of starting over on my own was, well, quite daunting. I knew what I was doing with hotels but was very uncertain if I had what it takes to start over.

The hand-written goals from the five people are each about the size of an index card and I have kept them as a daily reminder of how humbling a new beginning can be. My personal goal was two lines, have five listings and two under contract within the next 90 days. That was probably the extent of my vision at the time. I can tell you that the hardest listing I ever got was that first one after we started Hotel AG. It seemed that talking a client into to hiring a startup firm took much more effort than I thought possible. Very few people know what goes into starting a new company but those who do, understand the enormity of the task at hand. I remember thinking that this was my last startup because I simple didn’t have the mental bandwidth to go through it again. ha

God had his hand on our little company, and I don’t say that lightly. He literally had his hand on us, and we would have never made it through that period without his grace. That has now been 12+ years ago and we sold our company to a global real estate firm three years ago which was a move in business, I could not have envisioned when we started in 2007. When you start something new, one day becomes two and two becomes five and the next thing you know its 12+ years later.

Remembering humble beginnings helps you remain grounded because you vividly remember how difficult it was. Therefore, when I retire, those five 90-day hand written goals will go home with me because they are more precious that all the awards and plaques of later years. It was those four people (plus me) that believed we could do it and helped me believe it as well. KT

Short Term Memory Loss

Career, Life

In 2020, we could all use a good dose of short-term memory loss. Past failures, lost promotions, what someone said about us, some embarrassing moment, turned down for a job, lost a sale, a bad financial investment, harsh words spoken, loss, anxiety, fear, depression, feeling misplaced in life, etc. and the list for go on for many pages but you get the idea.

Sometimes the most difficult person to forgive, is yourself. Think with me a second outside the vernacular. Does the devil want you to move on from past failures and become who you are supposed to be? The answer is no. The way he prevents this from happening is to continually remind us of our past short comings, failures and life missteps. This my friend is why we need some short-term memory loss as it pertains to our past mistakes. See, the longer you dwell on your past, the less time you can spend on your future. The more time you relive past failures, the less time you have to chart a different course. The more you act in fear, the less you act in hope. The more conservative and cautious you become, the less you can believe again. The more you let the devil control your thoughts with past failures, the less you will let God give you a new vision.

It is impossible to forget our past, but it is possible to stop letting it control our future. Happy 2020. KT

Helping the poor

Life

Helping the poor and those in need should be a basic thing we all do. Help can take many forms from money, time and talent. It is the giving of any or all these things that mean the most to those in need and to the giver, you. There are people that simply need to know someone still cares.

It is also important to understand that the giver should give out of their abundance (their extra) and not from their own need. What I mean is to not take your house payment and use it to help the poor. The best approach is to give when you can, and I believe God honors that.

The strange thing about giving to the poor is the impact it makes on the life of the one who gives. If you want the quickest way to regain balance, perspective, calm and rest in your own life, find someone or some organization to help. I believe that God looks most favorable on those who give of themselves to help others in need. I can tell you that some of the greatest moments of my own self-worth came from giving to others.

The holidays are a time of joy for many people but also a time of stress, anxiety and apprehension for others. For many there is a quiet uneasiness for what the new year will hold. Will it be better or more of the same as this year? There is no perfect solution but one of the best ways I know to regain your own joy is to start helping the poor when you can. I use the term magical very loosely only to describe in a worldly term what I mean. When you give it simply does something in your heart like nothing else can. In a manner of speaking, it is therapeutic to your soul and it creates a renewed hope in your spirit.

At this time of year if you feel worried or anxious about the future, maybe try giving. KT

My favorite Christmas movie quote

Career, Family

I have been accused of loving Christmas movies and this year I guess I proved it was correct. My sweet little wife let me watch many this year and I loved them. The thing I love about them is they are happy and always end well. I know in real life things don’t always go the way we thought they would but at Christmas time, it is relaxing to escape for a couple hours and watch something that is uplifting, wholesome and full of joy.

While romping through the Christmas movies, I landed on one (don’t laugh) that had Dolly Parton in it. I have never been a fan of her music but in this movie, she made a statement that was profound. She was telling this young person who was striving to get ahead in life the following quote. “Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

That is a statement that carries a great deal of wisdom. Ask any person in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s what they most wish they had done differently in life. They never tell you, I wish I had worked more and made more sales calls and spent more time in the office. No sirree, they will tell you that they wished they had spent more time with their family. At your funeral, the size of your office, your title at work, bank account and all the sales awards won’t matter anymore. What will matter is the legacy you leave for your children and grandchildren. Did you teach them well and set the example for them? That’s it.

So, I will end this blog post with Dolly’s words again. “Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” KT

Setting the example and leaving a legacy

Family, Life

What is the example we are setting for our children? Is it one of love, integrity, credibility or is it one of strife, jealousy, anger and bad decisions?

My father passed away a little over a year ago and he was fleeced by a woman and her son in the last two years of his life. He married her and proceeded within two years to let her and her son dismantle his whole estate and in the end, disavowing all his children. While she and her son think they have really pulled something over on my dad’s family, what they don’t know is that they will not be in peace. Shortly after his death, this woman and her son threw every belonging my dad possessed that did not have value in the trash. The pieces that had value, they stole and or sold. The only things of my father I have today were items I had already been given.

I was with my brothers and sister last weekend and what came out of the conversation was that what she and her son really stole from us was the good memories of our father. See, when we think of him now, the only memory we have is his final act which was to tell his children he didn’t love them. I believe God is watching everything and he knows the intentions of the heart and this woman and her son will not be at rest or at peace. I and my siblings are.

Why am I telling you this story? It is so you can understand the power of setting the example and leaving a legacy. Being true to the end should be the goal we all have.

I believe the greatest thing we can do for our children and grandchildren is to be the example they need to see. Every single person alive want (they might not say it) to have examples in their life. They want to follow someone that stands the test of time and finishes the race and leaves a legacy of honor, credibility, integrity, and honesty. Everyone wants a hero and I just think there is a special anointing and favor that follows people willing to set the example. My grandfather (dad’s dad) was that way. He always had time for me and always made me feel loved. He was a farmer and not wealthy when he died but his memory will live long in my heart. He gave us kids the one greatest gift he could. The gift of unconditional love.

When the Lord calls me home, it is my hope and prayer that I leave behind the gift of unconditional love for my daughters, son in-laws and all my grandchildren. I also believe the bible when it tells us that “great is the man who leaves an inheritance for his children’s children.” That is something I fully intend to do. Unlike my father, I intend to always say and show my love for my family. Merry Christmas! KT