Uniquely Badger

Six years ago at the age of 55, I was diagnosed with ADHD. That diagnosis cast a whole new light on my life and especially my real estate career. I recently turned 61 and I would like to take you on a trip back in time to share with you what my life looked like. I became a realtor in 1987 and knocked around until 1998 when I had the good fortune to meet a coach that spoke right here at the MAR convention in 1997, Dr Frederick Grosse. After starting with Fred, my production took off and soon after I was averaging $10 million in sales and closing anywhere from 50-90 transactions per year, for close to 15 years. In 2001, I became a partner at Ayre Rhinehart  in Midland. In 2011, I was invited, and subsequently opened, and own today, Ayre Rhinehart Bay in Bay City. I was blessed with an amazing wife, two remarkable kids. I had the cars, real estate, businesses, and was one of the top producers in the region for years. To people on the outside it looked like I had it all. All the boxes were checked.

On the inside, in my heart and soul, I felt like I was never good enough. I felt like a failure. I seemed to be always searching for something else, and I piled more and more and more on until I couldn’t. I was a stressed out and depressed mess. I had lost my soul and didnt really know who I was anymore. Then in mid-May of 2016 it all came to a head, when basically I did everything short of collapsing. I remember my exhaustion. I told myself I can’t do this anymore. I surrendered and made a decision that changed the course of my life. 

This might be like what some of you are feeling today, or have felt in the past. On the outside things look pretty put together. You might have the car, the house, family, and a nice book of business. But things are just off. There might be cycles of depression, avoidance, addiction, and emotional swings. You might just not feel good, like I did, for longer than I care to admit. 

Back in 2016, when I finally surrendered, I decided that my only real goal was to feel good. I said outloud “I just want to feel good”. I didn’t know exactly what to do. So I did the only thing I could think of and I just slowed everything down and quickly a plan began revealing itself. 

The first thing I did was to create ‘space and time’. I had a mountain bike race coming up and I decided to eliminate anything that looked or sounded like training. I handed a lot of clients off. I rested, took a lot of 3 day weekends, and allowed my body to feel again putting the numbness I was feeling into the background. I created space and time to feel the goodness I was surrounded by and had been surrounded by for years but couldn't see it. 

The second thing I did was get professionally diagnosed by a local psychologist. This gave me clarity and confidence. It also revealed a learning super power I never knew I had. Now I know - no more guessing! I opened up doors to medication and gave confidence in a path of discovery. So number two is to get thoroughly tested, not just an interview with a doctor.

The third thing I did was to pursue my Unique Genius. The podcast I originally heard that sent chills through my body and released me onto my journey is the  “The Entrepreneurial Mind” by Ned Hallowell when he was speaking at Joe Polish’s Genius Network. The room was filled with super, high level, entrepreneurs. He said a lot of things in his 30 minute chat. The biggest thing I took from it was that ADHD is sysnomous with entrepreneurship and ADHD is a trait of genius and not a disability. This podcast changed my life. It allowed me to see what was ther all the time. My inner Genius and Unique Ability was a possibility and revealed energy and passion that had been buried for a long time. Study the works of Ned Hallowell.

So remember if you are ADHD, think you might have ADHD, or you have joked that might be ADHD like did….remember:

1. Create space and time to feel and be clear.
2. Get diagnosed - get clarity power.
3. Pursue your unique genius and watch your life unfold and income go up. 

And lastly, all of this information, Ned Hallowell’s podcast and resources are all available on my website badgerbeall.com, so check that out for anything I mentioned today. Also, I am going to take questions and stick around after as well.

In closing, I would like to say that it takes a lot courage to start this journey and it’s definitely an adventure and not a straight line. So be courageous, because what is around the corner is relief, happiness, and the greatness and compelling future you deserve.