When the Market Humbles You
This past week, I sat across the table from real estate professionals who are hurting.
These are smart, driven people—many of them experienced syndicators who’ve raised and deployed capital for years. But the commercial real estate multifamily market has changed. Rising rates, negative returns, paused distributions... It’s taken a toll—not just on portfolios, but on people.
This is what real estate does. It humbles you. Cycles shift. Deals go sideways. The pressure mounts. And when it does, you're left with two choices:
Crumble under the weight of uncertainty.
Rise with greater clarity, creativity, and conviction.
In The Steady Leader, we talk about how pressure refines—not ruins—a leader. And in moments like these, there’s no resource more valuable than time. How we use it will define how we come through this season.
So, here’s the message I’m encouraging my real estate friends with—and now you:
Talk to more people. Connection brings clarity. Learn from their experiences and let them encourage you.
Get more creative. Problems birth innovation. What are some really great questions that you can ask yourself to create some alternative paths to pursue?
Search harder. Good deals don’t disappear. They’re just harder to find.
And above all—own your time. In his book, The 5 Types of Wealth, Sahil Bloom calls this “Time Wealth,” and breaks it into three pillars:
Awareness: Know your time is limited. Use it wisely.
Attention: Focus on high-leverage actions. Eliminate distractions.
Control: Your time is your responsibility. Reclaim it. Lead it.
If you're in a valley right now—financially, relationally, or spiritually—this is your opportunity to steward your time with purpose. Because when the spotlight is off and the winds are against you, that’s when steady leaders are built.
Stay steady. And don’t waste the moment.
- Schuyler
Written by Schuyler Williamson
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God Bless!
~ Schuyler Williamson