Student Success Stories – Tom Holyfield

As I’ve been pondering and preparing for my comeback in real estate, I knew I had to have a degree of spirituality alongside myself. Bingo! That in and of itself, is why I feel honored and privileged to be working with Scot and John.

Being the poster boy for bi-polar, I am an extreme action brain, as well as an extreme thinker brain all at the same time.  I’ve been top gun, at any job I’ve had, but I’ve never been totally able to convert that to the business world, and that still drives me.  Not to say there haven’t been glimpses of success, but not the full out, winning attitude after a failure here or there. I take failure hard. Really hard.

Anyways, I’ve prayed for this day to come.  I knew if I found the right team to play with, and put the effort needed to succeed in, things will take care of themselves. Hope is no longer my business strategy. Action is. Am I where I need to be 3 weeks in? No. I need to catch up on my practice calls etc, but I’ve done most all the background work Scot and John have asked me to. Setting up LLC, and the rest of my power team.  Cranking out yellow letters etc.

One of the biggest things, that stands out to me so far, is so stinking simple. If I let it be. Scot called a couple yes leads with me. While they didn’t necessarily pan out at the time, the thing he instilled in me, is that calling sellers will be the easiest thing I do all day. How impactful is that? Simple as it seems. As I put my 20,000 steps plus in at work, every night, that’s been hanging with me so much. Duh.  Easiest thing all day, is get on the phone and call somebody. Why is that so stinking fearful? No more. I’m not 100 per cent there yet, but man I’m close.

My weekly calls with John are golden. He talks to me on the level I need him to be. That’s golden as well.  I’m nobody’s idiot, and I have succeeded in different things in life, but again, not quite in the business world totally. Take me there boys. I got total faith in you.

I’ve been in the spotlight over the years. Fairly high level basketball player, that’s rubbed elbows with some pretty famous folks. Whoopee. Time to stop living in the past.  I guided my daughter to becoming an All-American athlete. Enjoyed the ride with all my being. My turn again now. I won’t say I’ve shied away from the spotlight these last several years, but I wasn’t searching necessarily for it either. I want one more shining moment. Take me there boys.

This past Christmas, the Pastor’s wife, asked, kinda begged me, to be in the church play. I really didn’t want to, but I guess you don’t say no the  Pastor’s wife when you know they need you. I thought it was going to be, ya know, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus. Wasn’t quite that simple. Long story short, after the script reading, I totally lost it. Immediately messaged my family, letting them know, that this was going to be the hardest thing the old man ever did. And it was. The theme was about a lady in the nursing home, suffering from Alzheimer’s. Her husband of 50 years, came to visit her every day. 100 per cent to a “T” my own parents.  In the end, the messaged was conveyed that “Love never fails.” It was a true shining moment for me, in front of my father, and family, as well as the whole town, and in many ways, was my proudest moment, because I hit a Grand Slam.  I would encourage anyone to Google “Family Life Center Old Folks Country Christmas.”

 You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be blessed.

What does that have to do with Real estate? I don’t know. Maybe, coming from, doubting I could ever, ever, ever pull that off, in front of the whole world, but putting the work into it to do just that. The comitment. The overcoming doubt and fear. The studying, and studying, and memorizing the entire script, knowing my own lines in and out, along with everyone elses’ Seller rebuttals kinda come to mind. Maybe knowing what they’re going to say, before they say it, Hmmm. Not necessarily for fame and fortune at that particular time, but, uhhhh, maybe now? I truly think that prepared me for this time. Take me there boys.

I guess I could ramble on here forever, but the thing that’s always driven me, off and on, over the years, is a quote from legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who I named my son after.

“If you have dedication, and pride, and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards. ” I’ve paid the price. Take me there boys.

Tom from Belding, MI