What Next, Mike?

I’ve got 2 hours before I need to prepare and start braising a lamb shoulder for my mom’s birthday dinner tonight.

But I’m distracted because I want to make a change and keep sardonically asking myself “What next, Mike”.

My mom’s turning 70, and I haven’t seen her in more than a month so I want this to be a nice dinner.

At the same time, I’ve been distracted with wanting to move away from “Mike Lind, Real Estate Agent” and move more into blogging about my day-to-day experiences in real estate and providing inside details on the neighbourhoods that I really like; Scarborough, Pickering, Whitby, and Clarington County.

I’ve never liked talking about myself. I’ve never liked having a website named after me. I don’t want to have a real estate team named “Mike’s Team” or “Lind Real Estate Team”.

I really find it pretentious how some real estate agents think it’s all about them and self-name their websites (guilty!), and have an email extension of their name (guilty!).

Getting over this narssasistic approach isn’t easy. What do I name my website, team, email extension and social media accounts without including my name?

Since all of the “good” names have been taken, I could find something I like and get the .ca version or, add a “my” or “your” in front. All of those options seem disingenuous.

This struggle has been going on for years off-and-on. I’ll get some down time and start to brainstorm ideas. Then I’ll get busy again with clients and it goes on the back burner, and then out of mind completely.

Then something will ignite the fire again and becomes an ongoing struggle and distraction.

And that’s exactly what’s going on now.

What discribes what I do for my clients? What do my clients think of me? How do I want to be perceived by people who don’t know me?

I know I’m:

• tech-savvy
• quick to reply to texts and emails
• a bit salty
• obsessed with attention to details

What sums all of this up? Can it be?

I’ve given myself until December 31 to come up with something. Once I pick it, there will be no turning back.

I’ll throw everything against the wall and see what sticks…