Robert C. White - October 2020

Robert C. White - October 2020

R E N T A L READER YOUR

OCTOBER 2020 DON’T PUSH THE RIVER; IT FLOWS BY ITSELF The Power and Danger of a Chinese Proverb 860.613.6290 WWW.ROBERTCWHITE.COM

There is an old Chinese proverb that goes like this: “Don’t push the river; it flows by itself.”

While it is fortune cookie-esque, this proverb can be more dangerous (if taken to extremes) than any fortune cookie message I’ve seen. (My last fortune read “Be unconventional, even visionary.”) In my mind, the power of this proverb is in understanding that certain things in life have a timeline all their own. You can’t really rush them — and wouldn’t benefit even if you could. Take creativity, for example: While there are structures and frameworks that help the creative process, by and large, you can’t rush it. True creativity just takes time. Another example is grief. After my mother’s sudden and tragic death, I was blessed to remember happy memories quite quickly after the accident. From observing my family, I have seen the grief last different lengths of times for different people. “Pushing the river” and trying to move through the grieving process too quickly would have had very negative results.

Luke and Anne in front of Salmon River

on track to meet all of the goals we set for ourselves. I have been reflecting on whether I should let the river “flow” and let growth happen when it does, or if we should continue to make a hard push to try to hit our goals.

There is also a “be present in the moment” takeaway in the saying that I think is instructive and helpful.

No right answer and no easy answer, but I am leaning on pushing.

Yours in figuring out when you aren’t in a river, you can push,

However, there is a danger, too, that comes in extending the proverb too far. If we believe in the phrase “don’t push the river,” we may find that we just don’t push — or strive — at all. We won’t drive for the results that we could achieve if we put in the work. We might just “go with the flow.” When viewed this way, it has a “Field of Dreams” type of connotation: “If you build it, they will come.” From my varied experiences in business and nonprofits, that just isn’t the case. Building it is half the battle, but the really hard part is what needs to happen after the business is built.

P.S. The picture is of me and my wife, Anne, at our family’s place in Moodus, Connecticut. It sits on the Salmon River and is literally my favorite place on Earth. P.P.S. Funny side note … When Zach and I relaunched Robert C. White & Company, we put together a business plan. It truly was similar to the quote, “If you build it, they will come.” Well, they didn’t, and we soon realized we would have to actually work — and work hard — to figure out how to get where we wanted to be. Shame on me for having to relearn that lesson again.

Currently, I find myself in a “don’t push the river” moment at RCW. This year, because of COVID-19 (and for other reasons), we are not

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NATURE CAN KEEP HEALING POST- QUARANTINE — HERE’S HOW

It’s often overwhelming to shop for a new home because it’s nothing like shopping for a T-shirt or even a car — it’s a purchase that can last lifetimes. What do you look for first? Where can you start? Here are three things to pay attention to as you begin searching for the perfect home. Are You Ready for Your Dream Home? 3 SIGNS YOU’RE BUYING THE IDEAL PROPERTY FOR YOU

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a mixed bag of consequences. One upside seems to be that as water and air pollution decreased, even briefly, the natural world was starting to heal. Reports circulated of dolphins returning to Venice’s canals, which gave people hope. But when those stories turned out to be false, they just as quickly felt despair. Another downside is that health concerns have led to a dramatic increase in single-use plastics, which generate more waste. Despite these negatives, nature has an incredible ability to heal itself, and there are things we can do to help nature along and stay hopeful. Frans Schepers, managing director of Rewilding Europe, told Forbes.com that nature is healing, and the trend started long before COVID-19 changed our daily lives. “If people release pressure on nature, as we can see happening now, nature bounces back,” Schepers said. “There is a huge resilience in nature to restore itself, which gives a lot of hope. It’s also good news for people because we depend on nature and everything it provides, such as clean water and clean air.”

No. 1: The historical sale prices (on the prospective property and local properties) have been on a consistent uptrend.

Traditionally, one of the safest investments a person can make is in real estate. Economic recessions can often flip the national and local markets upside down. That’s why historical sale prices can tell you about the general growth of your specific local area. Simply comparing properties to those currently in neighboring cities, or even nationally, might not give a full picture of the location’s long- term desirability. The rise in historical prices are what matter in a time where communities are recovering at different rates.

So, how can we do our part to help the environment continue to heal?

Whether you’re at home, in the office, or in your car, focus on conserving energy. When shopping for home or office equipment, look for supplies with the ENERGY STAR label. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people carpool, bike, or walk whenever possible, and when they must use their vehicles, drivers should fill up their tanks carefully and only purchase gasoline containers labeled “spill-proof” for maximum gasoline efficiency after purchase. There’s plenty of opportunity to conserve energy at home, too. Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems account for 30%–40% of most electricity bills. The right HVAC technician can give you advice on effectively insulating and ventilating your home and also utilizing natural light and energy-efficient lighting systems to reduce both your energy consumption and your bills (not to mention updating your ventilation system will improve your air quality).

No. 2: The neighborhood has an influx of jobs and growing household incomes.

While the recent economic circumstances have made drops in employment a national phenomenon, a recent steady influx of jobs can indicate a path to economic recovery. Also, it’s good to keep in mind that a neighborhood with healthy household incomes can boost the home prices for the entire neighborhood as a whole, since wealthier homeowners will maintain and renovate their property. Use the census >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

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