When things go wrong in life or property, it can feel like the bottom has fallen out of your world.
You get bad news, you hit a hurdle, the numbers don’t stack up, or cash dries up — and suddenly it feels like you’re falling. For many people, it feels like falling off a cliff: one sheer drop, no way back, nothing to grab.
But that’s not the truth.
When life knocks you sideways, it’s not a cliff you’re falling from. It’s a mountain. And on the way down, there are always rocks to grab. They might not be comfortable. They might scrape your hands and bruise your ribs. But they’re there to slow you down, to stop you from tumbling into an avalanche, and — eventually — to help you climb back up.
Two Friends, Two Struggles
This point hit home for me when, within the same week, I had two different friends reach out in crisis.
The first had just discovered his property was about to be repossessed. He hadn’t organised alternative funding, and the clock had run out.
The second had a company that was collapsing. Cashflow had dried up, the business couldn’t sustain itself, and to make matters worse, they weren’t even exactly sure why the money had stopped flowing.
Two very different situations. Two very similar feelings of freefall.
Both of them had been at that crucial point earlier on — the moment when you can still look up, scan for solutions, and grab onto something. But they hadn’t. They’d waited. They’d hoped things would magically fix themselves. And by the time they asked for help, they were already halfway down the mountain.
And here’s the part I reminded them of: even halfway down the mountain, you are not at the bottom. There are always more rocks to grab, always more ways to slow the fall, always another chance to stop things turning into an avalanche.
The Mountain Metaphor
That’s the truth about setbacks.
When things go wrong, it feels like you’re falling off a cliff. But you’re not.
You’re falling down a mountain.
And on the way down, there are always rocks. Those rocks are the opportunities, tools, strategies, and people that can help you break your fall. They don’t stop the descent entirely — you may still get bruised — but they stop the slip from turning into an avalanche.
The key is this: you have to keep your head up. If you just give way to gravity, you’ll keep falling. If you look down in despair, you’ll miss the chance to grab hold. But if you lift your head, if you scan the slope, you’ll see those rocks — and they can make all the difference.
What This Looks Like in Practice
For my friend facing repossession, the “rock” he missed was refinancing. Months before the repossession process started, there had been opportunities to restructure his finance, speak to lenders, or seek mediation with investors. But he didn’t grab them.
For my friend with the collapsing company, the “rock” would have been paying attention to the cashflow red flags earlier on — asking hard questions, digging into the numbers, and getting clarity on where the money was leaking out. But they didn’t.
The important thing for both of them, though, was this: they weren’t at the bottom yet. Even with repossession looming, even with a company closing its doors, there were still rocks to grab — negotiations to try, settlements to explore, lessons to take, and steps forward to plan.
And I don’t say this with judgement — I’ve been there too. I’ve faced hurdles in my own property journey that left me winded. Times when I had to fight for clarity, to document tough conversations, to negotiate under pressure. The difference is, every time I felt myself slipping, this metaphor reminded me to lift my head and look for the rocks.
Those rocks aren’t always obvious. Sometimes they’re small. Sometimes they’re uncomfortable to grab. But if you keep reaching for them, you’ll eventually find your footing again.
The Decision We All Have to Make
When something goes wrong in property, or in life, you always face a decision:
Do I keep falling? Or do I look for something to hold onto?
That choice is what separates people who spiral into disaster from those who bounce back stronger.
- Choosing to keep your head down means giving up control. Problems get bigger, options shrink, and costs escalate.
- Choosing to look up means you still have agency. You can grab a rock. You can slow the fall. You can start climbing again.
Even if you’ve already slipped far, you’re not at the bottom. There are always more rocks to grab. Always more solutions to try. Always another foothold to look for.
Property Is a Mountain Range
Property investing is full of these moments.
- A tenant stops paying rent.
- A builder walks off-site.
- A JV partner changes their mind.
- Planning permission gets refused.
Each of these moments feels like a cliff-edge. But in truth, they’re just steep slopes on the mountain.
The investors who survive — and thrive — are the ones who keep their head up and look for solutions. They know that setbacks are part of the journey. They grab the rocks, slow the fall, and use the momentum to climb again.
Final Thought
Life and property aren’t about avoiding falls. Everyone falls. The difference is how you respond.
So next time something goes wrong, don’t tell yourself you’ve fallen off a cliff. Tell yourself you’re on a mountain. Lift your head. Scan for rocks. Grab hold.
It won’t be easy. It won’t be painless. But it will stop a slip from turning into an avalanche. And even if you’re already halfway down, you are not at the bottom. There are always more rocks to hold onto — and the courage to keep reaching is what turns a fall into a climb.
And if you want some practical strategies for grabbing those rocks in your own property journey, I’ve put together my Conflict Resolution Toolbox — a set of tools to help you spot problems early, tackle them head on, and protect yourself from bigger falls. You can download it here.
Because the truth is, falling is inevitable. Staying down is optional.
Kelly Lemon
