It’s hard to believe that is our seventh week of talking about the COVID19 Quarantine. It seems like a lifetime ago that we entered this period of our life, doesn’t it?
Throughout this time, I’ve attempted to address the overwhelming feelings the majority of you are experiencing. This crisis has forced us to dig deep personally and to pivot professionally. You’ve had lots of time to think and to evaluate your current situation while “stress testing” your life. So, now what?
If you are not changing, you are choosing.
You need to start by getting really clear on how this time in your life will change you. Yes, you need to create Clarity. Clarity defines “What does success mean to me?” That answer needs to be clear and personal to you, not your family, not your friends, not your colleagues, not the industry or society. Success is what you define it to be and it’s different for everyone. I’ve had agents want to conquer the world with production and GCI as the main scoreboard to track their success. Others want to maximize their production while still having a life. Some want to maintain their production but create it in two thirds of the time. You will never hear me pushing production or GCI unless it is what YOU want to create in your business. I’ve found that “happy agents sell more real estate.” Happiness is created by having clarity, having a vision and reaching for it every day. Those that are lost and depressed simply don’t have a plan to achieve happiness. It’s that easy. I’ve seen agents “launch" almost immediately after they define their "North Star” and after they gain that confidence that accompanies clarity. It’s so unfortunate that the 97% don’t put the work in towards this area of their life. Sadly, it’s not that they refuse to do it in some cases, it’s that they may not even know they need to do it.
Once you’ve defined what makes you “happy,” you’ve got to start asking yourself questions, making changes, and putting action behind those things that you know you need to do. Last week’s Pep Talk taught you how to rank your ideas and evaluate which ideas and projects should stay on the list. Go back and listen to that call “So Many Ideas and Projects. Where do I Start?” That content was written because we are never short on ideas. Creating the ideas, reading books, attending Zoom calls… that’s the fun part. Doing the work is what escapes most people and that is why most plateau in their business.
I firmly believe that is almost impossible for someone to come out of this the same person. Too much has changed in our society to stay stagnant. Sadly, many people will refuse to evolve; but I am talking to you, those that are in the Top 3%. In previous recessions, 17% of businesses folded, but 10% actually grew because they pivoted to better serve their customers and clients.
You need to come to terms with what is happening, how it is fundamentally changing how the world will function, and you need to truly commit to being a different version of you if you want to progress.
So how are you going to change?
- Are you going to focus more on your health than you did previously?
- Will you give up a little bit of control and use some of these new virtual methods to streamline your business?
- How have your boundaries changed as it relates to your business and your life? Are you going to do only that which is a “Hell Yes!”
- Are you committed to completing those projects you rate as “high impact?” What is standing in your way from getting them completed?
- Have you envisioned what your life and business would be like once you’ve gotten them done?
If you are not changing, you are choosing.
- Are you finally going to take yourself seriously and go for those big goals?
- What are you changing in your life financially? Have you reviewed your spending?
- Do you have clear and defined goals as it relates to your finances? Why is this time different?
- How are you managing your time? Do you know your profitability per hour rate?
- Have you evaluated how much time, energy, and money you waste?
If you are not changing, you are choosing.
- How is your environment? Is it built for your success?
- Do you have friends and family that don’t support you? Are you going to spend less time listening to their opinions?
- Have you committed to a mindfulness practice? Are you going to put as much effort into mindset as you do other parts of your life?
- Are you finally going to run a true relationship-based business?
- How’s that database coming along? Why isn’t is finished? When was the last time you pruned it?
If you are not changing, you are choosing.
I’m not here to preach since many of these questions I’m asking myself. In fact, I’ve learned about myself that I do my best work when there are lots of problems to be solved. When things are great, I have to really push myself to stay motivated. That’s the case for 80% of the population. 80% are motivated by solving problems, not by goals. Essentially what that means is that desperation is far more of a motivator than inspiration for most people. It definitely is for me. Problems don’t have to be negative. I reframe big goals into problems that need to be solved. Try it. It’s a subtle but powerful way to shift your mindset.
Many of the questions I just asked you, I’m also asking myself. As the calendar turns to May this week, I’m feeling the pressure to finalize a few projects and start new important initiatives. I’ve come to grips with the current state of affairs and realize that this is going to be a pretty long slog. Knowing that consumers will have completely different buying needs and habits, I need to be better. So how do I need to change to be better serve our agents? What skills do I need to improve? What do our agents need from me? How do I show up each day? This is what has been on my mind this past week. So, I made a choice to improve in those areas of my life because I realize that, for me…...
If I’m not changing, I’m choosing!
