Cashing Checks & Checking Privilege: Finding Balance with Rob Perkins

Rob Perkins was an accomplished Managing Partner of his family business, WestView Real Estate, when he decided to launch the WestView Senior Home Purchase Program. He talks about their acquisition of Senior Move Masters, a new venture designed to guide senior citizens and their families through the difficult process of moving home or joining a retirement community.

From a young age, Rob was concerned with the advantages he’d been gifted in life thanks, in part, to his family’s emotional and financial support. While he was always grateful, his biggest fear remains growing arrogant with his success.

In the latest episode of Gravity, he joins us for a stark exploration of the pros and cons of working with loved ones, the value of the mentors in our lives, and the difficulties in striking the right balance between humility and taking pride in our achievements. 

He also tells us about the strategy behind Senior Move Masters, a direct rebuttal to the troubles and stress Rob saw being afflicted upon seniors and their families as they attempted to navigate the hardships of moving in their later years.

This time is supposed to be for living; not overloading ourselves with additional, difficult problems that distract us from what’s really important: the time we have left! That’s where Rob’s business comes in. It’s yet another ethically minded company designed to improve the world and we loved getting to learn about its origins.

Rob is a thoughtful and socially minded businessman so it was a wonderful experience to talk to him and, hopefully, impart some wisdom, as much as he was able to give his to us. When people come together and share their stories, something magical happens, and that’s as true of this episode as any before it.

What Brett asks:

  • [01:25] Let’s back up and start with your childhood.
  • [05:58] Did growing up around toxic masculinity affect you?
  • [09:23] Why did you feel bad about the advantages life gave you?
  • [11:25] Were you a good athlete and what interests did you have outside of sport?
  • [15:46] What did you do after leaving school?
  • [16:40] What did you study?
  • [17:30] Tell us about your first job.
  • [22:20] Tell me about the experience of losing your mother.
  • [24:12] Can you elaborate on the mentors in your life, their wisdom and their therapy?
  • [33:24] As someone who strives for humility, is it possible that you undervalue your achievements?
  • [39:00] How are you forging your own path, now?
  • [47:48] Any final thoughts?

Lessons for intentional living:

  • One of the most powerful moments in this episode, for me, was when Rob revealed the conversation he had with his mother after she was diagnosed with cancer. He asked her for feedback – ways that he could improve himself and she told him that he was afraid of failure. Surprisingly, my lesson for you here has nothing to do with your fear of failure. What I want you to take away from this is how Rob used the time that he had with his mother. He didn’t take it for granted. He saw its value and set about using it in a way that has been meaningful to him in the many years since. Our time on this planet is finite and we should be especially aware of that when it comes to the time we get to spend with our loved ones. Make the most of it.
  • I think the primary theme of this episode has been acknowledging the advantages we have in life. That’s always a valuable thing to do. Whether you call it “counting your blessings” or “checking your privilege”, the principles are the same. Don’t take anything for granted and always be aware that other people may not have had the same luck that you’ve had in life. It’s about being grateful and having empathy in tandem. 
  • It’s easy to get caught up in the above way of thinking, like Rob did, to the point that we feel bad about the positives in our life. It’s important to remember that there will always be suffering in the world and, as terrible as that is, you’re still entitled to live a pleasant existence. At a certain point, being humble can seem insincere and can almost impare those around us. It’s sometimes better to own our achievements and be proud of them. The real skill here is finding the perfect balance.

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