We all have those unsavory tendencies and traits, that if left unknown and unchecked, can get in the way of and diminish our ability to live life to its fullest and most meaningful extent available. I recently participated in a group where we listed out some of our “things”, and the speaker discussed the idea of “name it and tame it,” which simply meant that when we acknowledge and address those areas authentically and proactively, we free ourselves to focus on those parts of us we like, enjoy, and want to grow. At ICE, we fancy ourselves as advocates for stucco homeowners, helping them “tame” the unsavory damage potential so that they can fully enjoy their home. It’s the plan for taming that makes all the difference.
Owning It: We all know ourselves better than anyone else, and when honest with ourselves, we know that a positive trait like being driven can spiral into things like self-serving and selfish, if we don’t own and acknowledge that risk. So the answer generally isn’t that you should be less driven but rather, be careful not to let this flare up in unhealthy ways. At ICE, given the potential perceived and real risk of owning stucco, we occasionally will hear people say they just won’t own it. While that is certainly an option, given what we see every day (ie. really beautiful and unique homes), we think owning stucco can be a fantastic option, so long as owners acknowledge the risks that exist if they don’t have a manageable protection plan... which then frees them to enjoy all that these homes can offer.
Relationships Matter: In life, we should surround ourselves with people who will help us in our quest to become better. From the previous example, your quest to be driven without becoming self-serving is likely not helped if your tribe is full of self-serving egomaniacs. The quality and longevity of those relationships will in many ways either aid or hurt your life mission. In the same way, we view stucco and its upkeep through the same lens. In most “The quality and longevity of those relationships will in many ways either aid or hurt your life mission. cases, the engagement begins as a bit of painful catch up to get stucco back to a good place, but from that point forward, our goal is to continue that relationship to help prevent that from happening in the future through proper maintenance. Given how long that relationship could last, and how costly the work can be, you want to get this initial decision of a stucco repair company right.
Intervention Avoidance: Most of us have seen the reality show Intervention. In that gut- wrenching tv documentary, a family, in a last-ditch effort to save another member, has brought in experts to intervene in a bad situation. The problem has gotten to the point where absent this rescue mission, the consequences are about to become too serious and permanent. It is shocking how unaware the family member typically is about the true state of their own demise, and the most uncomfortable moment in the show is often when they sit around with their family and specialist and realize their problem is much bigger than they thought. In many ways, a home sale can become that moment of truth for the seller, when all of those little things that they were always going to get to get pulled to the surface by a potential buyer. At ICE, when it comes to stucco, we get a front row seat to that often emotional and tough revelation. We are honored to step into those places and help current or future homeowners “intervene” and restore their stucco to its original condition. However, we are also huge proponents of working with homeowners outside of a sale and helping them stay well ahead of this avoidable scenario through a steady and consistent program of stucco inspections, sealant, and minor repairs.
I am a big fan of the quote, “when we are born we look like our parents, but when we die we look like our choices.” While you let that truth bomb soak in, let me tweak the last part of that quote to read, “when we sell our home, it will look like our choices.” When you “name it and tame it” early and often, your home will always be in a great place, and it will be ready to sell whenever that time comes.