Everybody Wants The Glory - But Nobody Wants The Risk!

There’s a quote that goes: “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die.”

Nowhere does this ring more true than in today’s property industry. Everyone wants the accolades. Everyone wants to be the one who’s remembered as the visionary who solved the British housing transaction crisis. But very few want to shoulder the sacrifice, the responsibility — or the risk.

Let’s call it what it is: a collective delusion. Why do I say that?

Well, as a society, we hold Olympic gold medallists in high regard. We put them on a pedestal – quite literally! Their victory laps are immortalised, their faces emblazon cereal boxes, their national anthems are played to roaring crowds. And their names are immortalised in the history books.

But what’s rarely talked about is the dark undercurrent behind those podium moments: years — sometimes decades — of gruelling sacrifice. Early mornings, late nights, missed birthdays, meticulous and often highly repetitious routines day after day, unrelenting pressure, and the very real chance that it all ends in failure.

Many of these athletes have one shot. One event. One opportunity to deliver a performance of a lifetime. And if they falter — even by milliseconds — it’s all over. All that effort, with nothing to show for it. No medal, no recognition, no sponsorship deals - just another “also-ran” whose name will not be remembered as it passes through the sands of time.

That’s real risk. That’s true commitment. That’s the epitome of courage.

And yet, in the property world, far too many are still stuck in the illusion that you can achieve gold without even breaking a sweat. There are people who've spent decades in their respective profession – whether agent or conveyancer - proclaiming they want to fix the system.

They want the recognition. The legacy. The story on their gravestone that says; “I was the one who solved the property crisis!” And yet, their appetite for genuine collaboration, their openness to new ideas (especially from outside their profession), and their willingness to invest the time, effort, money, and energy into new solutions is — frankly — non-existent.

Yet, many of these same people are quick to stamp all over the embryonic beginnings of new solutions, chastising them within the public domain without the first thought to the fact that there’s human beings behind these new ideas who have often invested their life savings into what they believe will help, based on their own experiences.

“Be kind?” Yeah, right! Only when it suits them to virtue signal on social media that they’re part of the collective…

It’s time we acknowledged two uncomfortable truths:

1. You might go the distance and still walk away with nothing.

Just like the Olympian who comes fourth, many agents, innovators, and disruptors may pour themselves into a solution that doesn’t bear fruit. But that’s the inevitable price of leadership. That’s the cost of doing something that matters.

Yet the reverse is often true – and that’s why true leaders lead – because the promise of glory from the right decision awaits. To suggest otherwise is naïve.

2. No one wins gold alone.

Every athlete has a team: coaches, dietitians, performance analysts, psychologists, and financiers etc. And that’s not just support — it’s structure. It's strategic alignment towards the end goal.

Likewise, in the property world, we cannot rely on lone wolves. Solving problems like excessive fall-throughs, protracted completions, and material information failures requires coordinated, cross-industry action. It needs data analysts, compliance experts, visionary agents, courageous investors, and yes — buyers and sellers who demand something different beyond the status quo.

This myth of the solo hero in the property industry is just that: a myth. Even Rightmove, with its multi-millions in annual profits, hasn’t stepped up to lead systemic change. Why? Because real change carries real risk — and real responsibility.

But here’s the call to arms.

At WiggyWam, we believe the system can and will change. Not just incrementally, but fundamentally and explosively. And we’re building a tribe of property professional — those who are ready to challenge the status quo, invest in progress, and forge solutions that serve the entire housing ecosystem.

We’re not looking for the glory-hunters (we already know who they are!). We’re looking for the collaborators. The Visionaries. The Builders. The Misfits. People who have the courage to accept risk and the humility to know they can’t do it alone.

If that’s you, then we want to talk.

Because the property market is too important — and too broken — to wait for someone else to fix it. Together, we can do what no one can do alone. And together, we can claim the glory and our rightful place in the history books!

Join us. Let’s build a better property market together, the smart way.
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Interested in collaborating? Reach out to the team at WiggyWam and discover how you can be part of the revolution.