Last week, I started the book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing by Daniel Pink. I found it helpful and it is giving me several really good nuggets of information. He talks about the natural starting points and jumping off points on the calendar that people use to motivate themselves. "This year will be different," you'll hear people say to each year on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. It's part of our natural rhythms. As you know, if you use only a date on the calendar without any real effort and commitment, just a few days later, you're right back in the "status quo.”
I've made it a point in my content to remind you of the difficulties you will experience and of the sacrifices needed to be an elite broker. We're all on a journey, right? It's different for everyone, so remember that. I'm not going to try to put you in a box or sell you some process that is not authentic to you. "Take Flight" is the fundamentals. It's my story. It's what has worked for me and I documented it in different formats because it has worked for others as well. As you know, I just wrapped up 20 episodes of MMPT where I covered all of the fundamentals that are "Take Flight.” Take from it what you feel is useful for you at the different stages of self-development that you are in. If you want to go back and listen to it from beginning to end, there’s an entire page on my website called "The Course" that will make it easy for you to go back, listen and read.
As part of "Take Flight,” we discussed the cascading method of goal setting. It starts with asking yourself 2 questions:
- Who do I want to become?
- How do I want to live?
These questions drive your goal setting and your "Flight" creation. From there, you need to build systems, processes, habits, routines, rituals, boundaries and rules that support your goals. You will find that out of this list "1BT" (one big thing) will present itself.
I say this as I understand that GROWTH is a personal journey and a process that cannot be scaled using an "out of the box" process. Those that are ELITE get there following their own path. As you go into the new year, there is ONE BIG THING (1BT) that you will need to focus on to get to the next level. You'll be able to identify it because it is that "one thing" you think about every morning. It needs to be given your full exploration and consistent effort. A 1BT needs to be made non-negotiable until you've built it or created a bio rhythm to support it... usually 90-120 days.
Your 1BT is that one thing that is going to turbo charge the speed with which you hit your goals.
From my experience, I see people toggling back and forth between 3 major areas of development: Growth Mode, Maintenance Mode, and Self Discovery Mode. Your 1BT will come from one of these 3 development modes.
Growth Mode: Creation
- (Newer Agent) - Create Confidence through OJT training
- Adding Capacity to your business (Personal Assistant or Assisting Agent)
- Ramp up your personal branding/marketing strategy
- Create a consistent and value add Social Media process
- Enhance the marketing for your listings
- A recommitment to "3 Rocks of Marketing" (lead generation)
- Develop referral and transaction partner network
Maintenance Mode: Review and Improvement
- Putting Boundaries Around your life and business. (Hell Yes Filter)
- A change in focus to PPH (Profit Per Hour)
- Fully committing to Daily Rituals that support your life and business
- Automation of your life and business
- Improving your Management and Team Building skills
- Fine tuning your Database and Relationship Management process.
- Implementing a Strategic Gifting process
Self-Discovery Mode: Inner Work
- A deliberate search for what drives you/motivates you… Your Why!
- Create a Lifestyle business (Work to Live instead of Live to Work)
- Adding a Mindfulness practice to your daily ritual
- A renewed Focus on health, wellness and energy
- Building a dual geographic lifestyle
- Elimination of "negative, stagnant energy" (things, people, a lifestyle choice)
- Committing to a Quarterly self-development strategy
Some Observations:
- Just because your focus is in one MODE, doesn't mean that you are not putting effort in other areas of your life and business.
- IF you are in Maintenance or Self-Discovery MODE, that doesn't mean you are not Growing.
- You can toggle back and forth between MODES. You'll know when it is time to shift.
- A 1BT needs a minimum of 90-120 days to take root in your life and business.
- Breakthroughs in any of these 3 Modes will change your frequency for the positive. A positive change in frequency = positive change in results.
- You need Triggers to remind you of your area of FOCUS. Try changing your PASSWORDS to represent your 1BT.
- You call the shots. Our society, our industry, or your circle of friends do not.
There are so many thought leaders that touch on this topic but If you want to read a good book specifically written to support the idea of having a 1BT, I highly suggest The One Thing by Gary Keller. I've read it multiple times and it's in the cue for me to review again in the coming weeks. Again, I have found it really valuable to stay focused on the one area, one goal, one process, one ritual that will catapult you to the next level. The more I think about it, success really is just based on one’s ability to keep stacking victories, adding productive measures and creating guiding principles in one's life.
2020 gave us so many more options to grow. It pushed us to think and execute differently. "Am I better than I was yesterday?" should be your rallying cry each day as you tackle 2021. It's painful to admit but most of us are better (inside) than we were just 1 year ago. So, knowing this, my advice for you as we start 2021 is to "Cut out the noise and execute on your 1BT."
