It applies to life.

It's a great quote (although I'm not a Darwin fan) Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can! I believe it is applicable to Real Estate BUT it is not the end-all to survival in the business.

I've never had an issue with change... it's a fact of life and we all need to know how to adapt to it. Being able to adapt, I believe, actually does make one stronger and more adept. As for intelligence... I've always believed one needs some modicum of intelligence in order to recognize and adapt to change.

Adaptability means survival in the evolution process.  If species do not adapt to their environment they will die - become extinct.

A men. It applies to life in general. 

Wanda,

I have no idea why you are asking this question. Change is the only constant, some adapt and some do not, and that is also a constant.  The planet is evolving also.  Neither one of us has a problem with change, it is what it is. A

Darwin's such an extremist, I would replace survive with excel & then I would agree to some degree. 

It's a good quote and I do think applies to real estate as a constantly evolving industry.  However, in the context from which your question came, I think the reason most new agents fail is because they didn't have an understanding of how expensive, complex and demanding the business is.  They weren't properly trained or mentored and were left to wallow in their own cluelessness. Most businesses take about 3 years to become profitable. Real Estate isn't really any different. Most new agents aren't adequately capitalized to work through the building period.

Adaptability is important in most areas of life.

Learning EVERY day,  feed that curiosity with challenge and fail; but get right back up and fix the computer glitch, read about trends, ask my children about what the future brings, and eat it all up

Change is a daily thing. I think in our business, trying to sift out the good, bad & worthless is sometimes hard to do. Just because it's 'new' does not mean that it will add value to our jobs or lives. 

Change is inevitable so you better get used to it.

The only constant is change. Be ready if not ahead of the crowd. Embrace change, don't discourage it!

Absolutely.  Look at how real estate has evolved even from 10 years ago.

Who moved my cheese?!?!!!!

I do like the quote.  Those that are the strongest/most intelligent may be too heavily invested in a particular way to change when change is needed.

Take Barnes and Noble for instance, they were the name in book stores... until Amazon came around.  They couldn't adapt in time and are now all but gone.  Blockbuster is another example.  Netflix changed the rules of the game with mailorder movies, then with streaming.  Blockbuster couldn't adapt quick enough to streaming and they're no longer with us.

For real estate, I think it's the ability of companies to jump on the next wining technology or business strategy and execute properly.  I think smaller companies are more adapt at this versus a company like Compass which is more concerned about producing $1,000 for sale signs and looking like the "most intelligent" company on the block, or Keller Williams which will win the "strongest" company on the block because of the hundreds of agents per office (at least out here).

Stop all-excuse making and prosperity will rush into your arms

Real estate professionals are challenged with daily changes.

listing agents are marketing agents, and we all know how marketing methods and materials change and improve consistently.... once you think you have the latest and greatest, it's obsolete...

I don't agree with the quote but I do think one must keep in touch with the environment to survive - not too much need for buggy whips these days or VHS tapes. However, to me, "intelligence" would include knowing when it's time to make a change and being smart enough and aware enough to adjust when the situation indicates change is needed to facilitate survival.

I have lasted through twenty years of change. I think I can handle it.

I just roll with the times, read the signs and always cover my rear.

Our business model is a chameleon

Adopt or die.

Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes "In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists." Eric Hoffer

It helps to have all three going for you.

Yellow pages and bus benches just won't get the job done like it did so many years ago.

So, the next generation went to the Internet...and the fields were plump with produce.

Now, in the embrace of Punctuated Equilibrium, one must mark their path on collaboration, in-bound, surrogates or old school G&G. Of greater difficulty to assess is how the existing technology and access to information has changed the expectation of the citizen we hope hires a real estate agent.  They are TELLING us what they want. The oligarchs of the industry are the obstacles. Darwin may suggest protecting the sandbox, refusing to relinquish power, instead of empowering sacrificial change is an exercise in futility.

Of these, which does not spell ADAPT?

Hello Wanda,  I see agents that are still doing things that work in 2006 and people change and we must all change with the times.