In a tough market, kicking your career into high gear involves implementing some obvious strategies such as realistically pricing listings, holding open houses, and deploying reliable, effective marketing campaigns. Savvy agents who are successfully dishing up consistently high production also know that the secret to success lies in some of the not-so-noticeable solutions for building a better business and a better life.
Associate with positive people.
The fastest way to bring down your day, your mood and consequently your production is to hang around with those negative agents and influences that drain you of energy and rob you of your ability to produce at a superstar level.
Don't fall into the fast traps such as the "market is bad, so I can't get ahead; the printer ran out of ink so I cant create a CMA; the office manager bought the wrong color paper clips so I might as well go home type mentalities."
If you want to enjoy each day, skyrocket your career and build forward momentum for fast-tracking your production -- align yourself with those top producers with the right attitude, mindset and love of life necessary to make each and every day a winning one. Like attracts like; what do you want to attract in your life; positive success or negative failure? The choice is yours.
Fine tune your skills for a healthy boost of confidence.
Fine tuning your skills sharpens your competitive edge in two ways. The first is obvious; skill building is a vital part of the sales process with today's well informed consumers and highly motivated agent pool. The second, while more subtle, is just as important. Knowing beyond a doubt that you have the skills, tools and techniques to face every day and every situation gives you the kind of confidence that radiates through all that you do and all that you are. It is the characteristic that makes prospects want to list and sell with you, and agents feel good about passing referrals your way.
Put your life in balance.
With the current market climate and competition, there is little doubt that you will have stressful days and harried workloads. Finding the balance in your life will provide the necessary pressure valve that will allow you to succeed not just this year, but enjoy a long and healthy career. Carefully map out your family and personal time just as diligently as you would your business hours.
Give your family what Floyd Wickman calls the "Countables" they need to be supportive and happy. Floyd describes "Countables" as those things that your family can always "count on." Whether that is Sunday dinner each week, game night every Thursday, attending your child's sporting events or a combination of all of the above. Knowing that you are taking much needed downtime and meeting your family commitments gives you the opportunity to decompress guilt-free with the support of your family. For that, there is simply no substitute!
Never underestimate the power of giving.
Whether or not you subscribe to the "what goes around comes around philosophy," there is no discounting the fact that historically the top producers in this and every industry are compellingly generous. They lead by example and understand that we as human beings truly do "get by giving" as Floyd contends or in the words of Zig Ziglar: "You will get everything in life you want if you help enough other people get what they want."
There is a magic and a power that happens when we reach out to those around us. Whether that be by financial contributions to the charities that are nearest to your heart, mentoring a child or taking a new agent under your wing and creating a smoother path for their success. All these things make us not only better in our fields of choice, they make us better people -- and certainly the world in which we live could always use a little more generosity.
Don't take your health for granted.
Stress can be a double edge sword -- at times a driving motivator, and other times a crushing weakness. Take care of yourself first. You are no good to your family, your friends or your business if you find yourself stricken by a heart attack or stroke. Get up -- get out there -- and exercise. You don't have to start with a marathon, you just have to start.
Spend 20 minutes of your life each day preserving your life by walking, running, biking, or swimming, anything that will get you away from the stress momentarily and into a routine that will promote a long and happy life. Play tag with your kids, walk the dogs, or remove whatever is hanging on the stair machine in the corner and get stepping on that while you watch the evening news. Just like a professional athlete, if you are in the game to win -- in this case, that game is life -- you always need to bring your best self to the playing field. Caring for your health each day gives you a lifetime advantage of physical and mental clarity. So, be well, my friends.
Whether you are looking to kick start or re-start your career, pepper your days with these essential ingredients for a happy, healthy business and life.
