Molly McKinley writes that in an industry obsessed with “always on,” these monks demonstrate that agents desperately need to relearn.
On a Friday afternoon, I stood on Highway 64 in Apex, North Carolina, watching 19 Buddhist monks walk in front of my house. They were on day 91 of a 2,300-mile journey from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C.
Several monks, including the leader Pannakara Bhikkhu, walked in stockings to feel the ground and take each step. In November, a distracted driver crashed into a convoy. One monk lost his leg. they continued walking.
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In speaking about peace, one monk described the relationship between us and our mobile phones as being like that of a lover. It’s the first thing we reach for each morning and the last thing we touch before going to bed.
For agents, that intimacy goes even deeper. Your phone stores your leads, CRM, and transaction files. Every year at Inman Connect, we hear agents closing deals at restroom kiosks. Being “always on” feels like a competitive advantage.
Monks have walked 3,300 miles to suggest otherwise.
They practice Vipassana meditation, an ancient technique that means “seeing things as they really are.” This practice develops non-reactive awareness. This means observing your sensations and breathing without clinging to pleasurable experiences or resisting difficult ones. The central insight is that all phenomena are temporary and reduce automatic and habitual responses to life’s stresses.
Walking itself is a practice. Fully present, step by step, over many months. No multitasking. Attention is not fragmented. Just stay focused.
This discipline is what research suggests we are losing. A June 2025 study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that people who regularly outsource their thinking to AI have decreased brain connectivity and reduced critical thinking, which researchers call “cognitive debt.” Other studies have shown that the mere presence of a phone reduces available cognitive capacity.
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Think about what that means during your listing presentations and pricing conversations with clients. Before you start, you are working in a state of decreased concentration. However, this is not limited to individual transactions.
Concentration is the basis of creativity and innovation. The deep thinking that creates breakthrough products, the insight to see gaps in the market before anyone else, the strategic perseverance to build something that actually solves a problem, none of it happens in 47 seconds.
For proptech founders and industry leaders looking to build what’s next, cognitive debt is more than just a personal liability. It’s competitive.
Three practices for agents
A 10-day silent retreat is not necessary. These Vipassana-based techniques can be completed in minutes and can be done in between screenings.
Before meeting with a client, take a 60-second breather.
Sit in the car. Please close your eyes. Observe the three complete breathing cycles as air moves in and out of the nostrils and the chest rises and falls. This is more than just relaxation. It is honed. You’re training your mind to focus before you need to.
Practice body scans during your commute
At a red light or while parking, slowly shift your attention from your head to your entire body, noticing the tension in your shoulders, your grip on the steering wheel, and your feet on the floor. The goal is not to change anything. Just observe. This builds a non-reactive mindset to remain calm even when negotiations get tense.
Observe and don’t react — especially with difficult clients.
When you feel frustration rising, notice where it is in your body. Feeling of pressure in your chest? Does your face get hot? Admit it without acting on it. This pause (even 2 seconds) is often the difference between being reactive and responding productively.
Real estate has always been a relationship business. Agents who get referrals aren’t the ones who respond the quickest, but they’re the ones who make their clients feel truly heard. It requires the kind of presence that the monks who walk 2,300 miles have for us.
Their daily intentions are simple. “Today will be a peaceful day.” For an agent, it probably starts small with one meeting where your phone is in another room and one conversation where you’re fully present.
The monks will arrive in Washington, D.C., next month. Bhikkhu Pannakara says: “We are not walking to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us.” Follow their journey here.
Step by step. Your clients will notice.
Molly McKinley is the Entrepreneur in Residence at Meredith College, where she teaches entrepreneurship, innovation, and social impact. She is the founder of Redtail Creative and a certified yoga teacher (RYT500). She writes about technology and helps proptech companies build trust and authority in humans and AI.
