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There is a mindset theory that states when things are going well, people tend to think they will always go well. When we are in that state of mind, we tend to ignore bad news… even deny bad news. The reverse is also true. When things are not going well, we tend to think they will always go badly, and we ignore and deny good news. I think that is where we are today. We are at the tail end of the worse pandemic in a century where we lost one million Americans and suffered untold trauma, and instead of being happy that things have finally turned around, we are obsessing about gas prices. We have had to deal with so much bad news, we are ignoring the good and searching for the bad. Two years ago, I think most of us were in denial. After a decade of prosperity, we blatantly refused to acknowledge the reality of what we were dealing with.
Mindset is a powerful thing, and I don’t take that lightly. Our outlook on life has more to do with things we focus our attention on than cards we are dealt. If we focus on what we have versus what we don’t have, we tend to be happier, more productive people. But even the most disciplined among us are influenced by the media or others who are influential. Inflation is a real threat to our economy, and recessions are a normal part of our economic cycles. That is not to say we shouldn’t do anything about them. The goal of our governmental policies should be to make our growth cycles as long as possible and our recessions as short and shallow as possible. I think there are a lot of positives happening right now. The pandemic is winding down, people are working, and our investments as a whole are worth more now than ever. Like always, some threats cannot be ignored. The war in Ukraine is a human tragedy, and our economy can dip into a deep recession if the Fed doesn’t act appropriately. Those of us in the real estate industry should be thinking about how we can parlay our winnings from the last few years into something that sets ourselves and our families up permanently. Clarity of thought is our strongest asset. We need it more today than ever before.
The attacks on DEI were never really about fairness, merit, or excellence. In this episode, I use a recent public moment to unpack what this debate is actually about — who gets recognized, who gets overlooked, and why so many people in power are threatened by any effort to widen access and opportunity. This is a conversation about merit, history, and the forces that try to preserve the status quo. The pendulum always swings, and when it does, people remember who stood where.
I saw a video recently that made me both angry and a little sad — people saying that even though they’re citizens, they don’t feel American. I understand the pain behind that feeling. But I also believe something important: America doesn’t belong to a narrow group of people, and it never has. Too often, we allow small-minded voices to define who “counts.” In this episode, I talk about identity, ownership, and why no one gets to tell you that this country isn’t yours. If you contribute to it, believe in it, and are willing to stand up for it, America belongs to you — just as much as anyone else.
Some are openly saying that immigrants make America weaker, not stronger — but the data tells a different story. Immigrants bring work ethic, entrepreneurship, and a deep appreciation for opportunity. Latino immigrants who have lived in the United States for more than 10 years have higher homeownership rates and higher net worth, and their children achieve higher levels of educational attainment. At a time when demographic decline threatens long-term growth, immigrants bring youth, household formation, and economic momentum. Meanwhile, countries with strict immigration policies are facing aging populations and stagnant economies. Immigration isn’t a weakness — it’s one of America’s greatest strengths.