Since October, with 2021 in mind, we've been business planning, improving our knowledge of the fundamentals and preparing anxiously to put 2020 in the rearview mirror. We started last week with a MMPT that pushed you to focus on your "1BT" (one big thing), all of this with the thought that 2021 was going to get off to a magical start. We all know that last week was a stressful week for most of you and definitely for our country. So, here we are on Monday, January 11, 2021, and you are coming up on a "fork in the road." IF you take a left, the map says that the road is straight and easy driving. You can get to your destination without a lot of pain and suffering. The path is simple but the destination is underwhelming and uninspiring. If you take a right, the road is difficult, the weather is challenging, there are lots of turns and it definitely requires both hands on the wheel, but when you arrive at that destination, the views will take your breath away. If you decide to take a left turn today, you will fall back into the status quo of your old habits and the effort level that created your current reality. If you decide to take a right turn today, 2021 and beyond will not be easy, but I promise you, it will be worth it.
I'm in the rare situation to hear the unvarnished success stories from those that decided to take a "right turn." I see the tears of happiness and feel the energy that surrounds accomplishment. These are the success stories that people do not post on Instagram. These are the stories that are so meaningful that only a few people know what happened. The before and after. The kind of stories that will stay in my vault. The "Jim, thank you, I never, ever thought I'd see this kind of money in my business account," the "Jim, I've never succeeded at much of anything and for the first time, I feel worthy professionally," and my favorite "Jim, money aside, I've never thought I'd ever be able to live this life and grow like this personally." As you can imagine, the vault has a lot more details, but you get the point. The reality is that all of these stories have one thing in common: each storyteller "took a right." They took the road more difficult and now are seeing a view that takes their breath away. They had a dream, they created a plan, they put action behind it every single day and they continue to stay focused (almost obsessed). Many had gotten to a point previously where they said "enough is enough, I'm not living like this anymore" and it drove them into action and pushed them to new heights. They followed the map and didn't try to take shortcuts to find an easier path. They realized very early on that there was only one path for them and it required a lot of hard work, sacrifice and focus.
So, taking you back to Take Flight (the map) for a minute, the formula for a successful life and business is "Thoughts create Feelings, Feeling Create Action and that Action is what provides you with the Results." Many thought leaders refer to this as the Law of Attraction. During your planning phase, your focus is mostly on "Thoughts create Feelings." Within this formula, when "Feelings meet Action" comes up, this is where you make the decision either to turn LEFT or to turn RIGHT.
YES, today, you have to make that decision.
It's January 11th and if you don't start creating action, you risk the possibility of slipping back into the status quo. The status quo is where your brain wants you to stay. It's safe. Your brain likes easy and underwhelming and it will amp up the negative thoughts to persuade you to take a left turn.
The importance of getting started on 2021 today is that Action done consistently builds MOMENTUM. In physics, Momentum can be described in terms of "speed of motion" as Momentum begets more Momentum. In business, we realize that when you are cranking out deals and helping your clients, you feel like nothing can stop you. You get into a flow and getting up in the morning is a little bit easier.
First let's talk about what can stop or slow down your Momentum as it relates to our business:
-
The calendar - for example, even though everyone needs to power down in late December, around the holidays and for vacation, it can slow you down your Momentum.
-
Bad decisions - 20% of your business steals 80% of your joy. The 20% reveals itself, normally, up front. Your gut speaks to you but you see production so you go with it anyways.
-
Over-confidence - you build a big pipeline, close a bunch of properties and you take a mental vacation.
-
Lost focus on MINDSET - you build good habits, see results and drop back to the status quo.
-
Poor habits, no systems or routines.
-
Poor boundaries - you let things slip onto your calendar that have no value.
-
Life Events - expect them, they happen and it's a part of getting through this thing called life.
Okay, let's talk about how you can create and protect, your boundaries:
-
Power down on the holidays and one vacations but do not stray from your most important habits.
-
Make good decisions. Listen to your intuition. Stay away from the 20% that steals your joy.
-
Stay grounded. Realize that your pipeline will fluctuate. Don't get overconfident and don't get nervous or freaked out.
-
MINDSET is truly 80% / Execution is 20%. Keep you Mind fit. Maintain your mindfulness practices. (Mediation, visualization, thinking sessions)
-
Protect your calendar. If it's not a "Hell Yes", it's a "Hell No."
-
Choose your inputs carefully. (news, social media)
-
Execute in small chunks. Don't think about all of 2021. Think about today. What are my non-negotiable's? #wintheday #stackvictories
-
Be aware of your Momentum. If you've lost it, work harder until you regain it.
-
Always remain focused on improving your skills #selfdevelopment
-
Execute, Review, Repeat
Team, you may not know this about me, but I am almost superstitious about my momentum (almost to a fault). Listen, I love the holidays and I love vacations, but they also scare me. I fear powering down too much because it may take a long time to power back up. I realize that for every day or week that I am powered down, it takes me the equal amount of time to regain my flow, my focus and my momentum, so I rarely stray from what works for me. I love the view that I've created for myself and I don't want to lose it. I don't fully power down by maintaining my most important habits (especially my Morning Ritual / self development).
My point on this MMPT is to inspire you, TODAY, to take the right hand turn for 2021. Throughout the year and sometimes on a daily basis, we are forced to make a fork-in-the-road decision. It doesn't happen just once in your life or once a year. You have to constantly get real with yourself. Like I said, I've seen and heard the tears of joy and felt the sense of accomplishment on some of your faces, I want it for each and every one of you.
You're at the stop sign: Are you turning left, the route that the 97% take, or are you turning right and becoming part of the 3%, the elite producers who want more, achieve more, and live with greater personal and professional fulfillment? There are cars behind you, it's time to make a decision. Which way will you turn?
