Today, I want to redefine my definition of what it means to "Sprint and Celebrate." In essence, "Sprint" means that you have a defined period of time when you execute with intention. "Celebrate" means that you commit to taking a period of time to power down and enjoy after a "Sprint" to celebrate your accomplishments, rewind, review and plan the next sprint. I will unpack this definition and show you the importance of how you use this strategy to get the most out of your days, weeks, quarters and your year. We know if you win each quarter, your 3-year vision is almost mathematically impossible not to achieve.
I write this for all of you that just feel at the end of your rope after being constantly pulled in a million directions. Some of you are the primary bread winner, chef, driver and COO for your family. Outside of your immediate family, you've got your extended family and friends that need attention. Oh, and that pipeline of clients that need to buy something and there is nothing currently available to show them. They are looking for you to be the solution to their needs. It's a lot. (You're not alone.) I'm just calling it like I see it because I get the 911 calls. "Jim, there has to be a better way?" Yes, there is! But step 1 is committing to doing things differently. You've got to scrap the entire playbook and start over. For some, this is a scary proposition. I'm going to discuss a specific playbook today that I've seen work wonders for that person I just described a few seconds ago but also for that agent that has been in brokerage for a while and hasn't consistently met their goals. You might be new to the business and want to get it right from the beginning.
Do I have your attention? For 15 minutes, I want you to mute the outside pressures, take a deep breath and just listen intently to what I have to say. I'll send you the notes and you can go back and listen. Today, I'm going to teach you how to "Plan, Sprint and Celebrate." I use this daily, weekly, quarterly strategy in my own life… and it works.
First, I want to simply explain where the seeds for this concept came from originally. I came up with the simpler "Sprint and Celebrate" in May of 2018 as I was attempting to motivate my team to think about summer business plans and marketing in a different way. This was my original message:
(From the archives, May 2018): Here is your SUMMER 2018 Game Plan:
- Do an Audit on your business and life. Take the next 2 weeks, grab 2 hours, look at your business. What worked? What didn’t work? What have your learned? What areas do you need to personally improve at? Are you on track to hit your goals that you made for your yourself? Memorial Day weekend is a perfect time to sneak away, find those 2 hours and journal what you need to focus on immediately.
- Pick 1 major project and 2 smaller projects and commit to implementation prior to July 1st. This is the PLANNING portion of your game plan. First decide what these projects will be and plan them out. Time Block 3-5 hours a week to work on these projects. Line up all of the resources you will need to execute on your plan.
- Commit to your PLAN and Execute. Put all of your energy behind getting these projects done by July 1. This is the SPRINT portion of your summer 2018 game plan. Just 5,4,3,2,1 DO IT. Create momentum. Once you get the ball rolling, good stuff starts to happen.
- Finalize your plan and CELEBRATE your success over your 4 of July holiday.
- REPEAT! Do the same PLAN, SPRINT and CELEBRATE process with larger projects in JULY and AUGUST culminating with your CELEBRATION over Labor Day weekend.
Okay, fast forward to 2021 when I discovered the "12 Week Year" by Brian Moran which essentially states that you need to create a 3-Year Vision and commit to a quarterly goal setting strategy instead of an annualized strategy. It's essentially 12 weeks in a quarter x 12 quarters = 3 years (instead of a summer/fall strategy). The 12WY has become my operational manual. One incredibly important part of the process that doesn't get talked about near enough is the 13th week of each quarter. This is how the author defines the 13th week: "It's a chance for to have an extra week of effort if you need it to hit your goals. It also provides a time to assess your performance and decide what if anything you will do differently in the next 12 weeks. Finally, Week 13 is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate your progress and success." (Note: this week of March 28th is the 13th week for Q1, 2022.)
Today, I want to give you evolved thoughts on "Sprint and Celebrate" and marry a few of my updated concepts to improve the overall idea of using pre-defined timeframes to execute and a commitment to celebrate at the end. First, I want to re-read the final line of the author's definition of the 13th week: "Finally, Week 13 is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate your progress and success." The key word in that statement is opportunity. That needs to be changed to non-negotiable. Why? Because the agents that I know either suck at living or have sucked at living in the past. When the word "opportunity" is used, most blow right by their chance to celebrate and get right back into the execution phase causing the main reason I get the 911 calls that I do: burnout, frustration, health issues, familial crisis and the list goes on simply because the high producing agent tends to forget the most important person in their life and business - themselves. #hustleculture is becoming less and less of a winning message. It simply is not sustainable for 99.9% of us. Your vision will most like include a feeling of "what is enough?"
So, what do we do about it? The answer is you "Plan, Sprint, Celebrate" your days, your weeks, your quarters and years. Use this strategy and you will not recognize yourself and your business this time next year. It takes multiple quarters to get it right but living a life where your 3 year vision is mathematically guaranteed is an entirely new dimension that you can't explain it until you execute on it.
Here are some detailed explanations how you can add daily, weekly, quarterly guiding principles to your planning. Also, I've added some annual bonus strategies:
Daily: Plan, Sprint and Celebrate
Non -negotiable #1: You must add a Morning Ritual - 2 hours - this period of time will produce your best ideas, keep your mind right, provide time to get your body in movement and plan your day so you can plan your day using your "Daily Planning Method". Do not email or correspond till you've had a chance to focus on you and your day. Episode #137: My Daily Planning Method would be a useful MMPT to re-listen to further gain perspective.
Non -negotiable #2: Create a defined "Start Time" boundary. This is where you enter the arena each day. 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. should be the earliest for most items unless you are in a negotiation massive "fire" you have to put out. Your clients will learn your schedule. Remember: Those that do not respect your boundaries, do not respect you. Choose wisely.
Non-negotiable #3: After entering the arena, go hard for a pre-determined time and shut it down each day at the same time.
Non-negotiable #4: Get enough sleep, eat well and move your body each day.
Non-negotiable #5: Use your evenings to unwind and decompress. This is your daily, non-negotiable celebration.
Weekly: Plan, Sprint and Celebrate
Non -negotiable #1: Take at least 1 day a week where you don't "work". On this day, you do not enter the arena in the same capacity you enter it on your "go days".
Non -negotiable #2: Block 1-2 hours a week (I like Sundays) to review the previous week and plan the upcoming week. "Move the chess pieces around" on your Hot List, Warm List and Top 100.
Non -negotiable #3: Identify an accountability partner or partners, analyze your "12 Week Year" progress. Did you hit your weekly goal? What is your goal for the following week? (WAM sessions)
Non-negotiable #4: Outsource, outsource, outsource below your hourly rate. (Take your 2021 1099 income and divide by 2600 hours)
Non -negotiable #5: Plan 1 meal/dinner a week that is special. It could either be with significant other, family or friends....or alternate from family to friends from week to week. This is your weekly celebration.
Quarterly: Plan, Sprint and Celebrate
Non -negotiable #1: Commit to a quarterly (12 Week Year) goal setting strategy. Plan out your weekly initiatives before the quarter starts.
Non -negotiable #2: Execute your daily and weekly "Plan, Sprint and Celebrate" initiatives with complete commitment.
Non -negotiable #3: Take the 13th week to review, rewind, plan for the next quarter.
Non -negotiable #4: Each quarter, you must power down for at least 3-4 days to celebrate. You might not leave town (although high recommended) but you need to step away. Trust me. This portion is critical. It's the equivalent of powering down and restarting your devices.
Yearly: Plan, Sprint and Celebrate
Non -negotiable #1: Do not focus on annualized goals. Let your quarterly execution win you the awards.
Non-negotiable #2: Create a yearly "flow" plan around your selling season. Book downtime during optimal times. Look at travel as an investment in your business.
Non-negotiable #3: Plan a trip or trips during your annual "no fly zones". (Late August and/or late December. For some, January)
Non -negotiable #4: Go back and listen to Episode #140: The Life Hack I Wished I Learned Earlier.
Non-negotiable #5: Set expectations with your family based on the flow of your business.
I have an incredible opportunity to be on the front row to observe high-producing brokerage businesses. Unfortunately, much of the success has come at a cost. It's normally when the wheels start to come off that I get the 911 call. In most cases, it has nothing to do with the quality of broker, quite the opposite. In fact, in most cases, they just did not prepare mentally for their success. "More, more, more" is on their mind not understanding that this train of thought has a downside if you do not "prepare" for it. Its why phrases like: "If it's not a hell yes, it’s a hell no,” "Choose Wisely" and "20% of your clients steal 80% of your joy" means so much to the type A, overachiever in many of us. I've just laid out the "HOW" that I've used to help many, WILLING agents take their life back or get started off on the right foot. The best part is that, if done right, they end up being more productive not less. In the end, from the seat I'm sitting in, "Happy agents do sell more real estate" so much so that it literally is my battle cry that I lead each call with each week. What I can't do is sprinkle the fairy dust on you and make you commit to a different, more productive and enjoyable approach. You've got to start the reprogramming process. Now that you know the "HOW", from here on out, you've got to point the thumb if the craziness overtakes you especially if you don't start taking steps towards change.
Why am I so sold on this concept? Because I am one of those type A, overachievers that will crater if I don't "Plan, Sprint and Celebrate." When I pass that threshold of the BS outweighing the benefit, it's not pretty. It's why I've made words, phrases and concepts like "intention", "mindset", "boundaries", "vision-eering", "life planning", and of course "The 12 Week Year" business planning strategy my foundational pillars that keep "my tires on the road". It's allowed me to get to a point today where I have more on my plate, more responsibility but with manageable levels of stress.
Thanks for tuning in this week. If you'd like my weekly content email and are not already receiving it, send me an email at [email protected] and my team will add you. Have a great week. I go into much more detailed explanation on the audio version of this week’s content, so click below to listen.