When faced with DANGER . . . or RADICAL CHANGE . . . we are already wired to respond. At the most primal level, there are 2 responses – FIGHT or FLIGHT!
We either decide that whatever this is that we are facing is worth the time, energy, risk, expense of FIGHTING to overcome or not.
If not, we RUN!
I meandered over to Wiki and found the following fascinating Info:
animals react to threats with a general discharge of the sympathetic nervous system, priming the animal for fighting or fleeing.
Catecholamine hormones, such as adrenaline or noradrenaline, facilitate immediate physical reactions associated with a preparation for violent muscular action. These include the following:[4]
- Acceleration of heart and lung action
- Paling or flushing, or alternating between both
- Inhibition of stomach and upper-intestinal action to the point where digestion slows down or stops
- General effect on the sphincters of the body
- Constriction of blood vessels in many parts of the body
- Liberation of nutrients (particularly fat and glucose) for muscular action
- Dilation of blood vessels for muscles
- Inhibition of the lacrimal gland (responsible for tear production) and salivation
- Dilation of pupil (mydriasis)
- Relaxation of bladder
- Inhibition of erection
- Auditory exclusion (loss of hearing)
- Tunnel vision (loss of peripheral vision)
- Disinhibition of spinal reflexes
- Shaking
Does all of this sound familiar?
How does Fight or Flight translate to SALES?
When it comes to something as BIG and significant as Buying or Selling a HOME, this syndrome is very real.
Note that I emphasize “HOME” rather than simply “house” . . . Home is where the heart is . . . house is a thing . . .
For most “Owner/Occupants,” the house graduates to “HOME” status as they live in it. Memories accumulate through time as does emotionally attachment.
For a family to decide to move, something MAJOR has to happen . . . not to be taken lightly . . . and fight or flight definitely applies.
Most folks will choose flight for as long as they can stand it. They flee from the process by denying whatever it is that’s precipitating this need to move.
Why rock the boat?
THIS home is SO comfortable and convenient . . .
When the reason MATTERS enough, they’ll take action.
Often during the process, other “opportunities” to choose fight or flight show up.
Any number of material defects (old roof, Inspector “Repair Lists,” ) may elicit a FLIGHT response from a Buyer who bails out of the deal and RUNS.
Sellers may fight to the extent that they run off perfectly good Buyer candidates with their obstinate nature.
The quintessentially empathetic Real Estate Sales Professional “gets” this fight or flight tendency and learns to be the “Rock” for her clients. She detects the symptoms listed above and puts on that “Psychologist” hat to talk the client off this ledge to achieve the ultimate goal – a successful move.
That’s how we REALTORS roll 🙂