On my 253rd episode of my Monday Morning Pep Talk, I will take you through one of the biggest struggles I face as a coach, leader, mentor and that is to convince real estate professionals and entrepreneurs to commit to a 3 Year Vision. It's proven that high achievers are inclined to jump directly to actionable items on their to-do lists, skipping the exercise of creating their "north star". ELPs and super achievers let their 3 Year Vision guide their decisions. Today, I will make a serious attempt to reframe how you should look at your goals and vision so your focus will stay on the version of yourself that you want to become.
Before I jump into today's call, I want to remind you of my professional purpose and that is to help you, the full service, full fee Advisor, optimize your productivity and help you become the best version of yourself. Why? "Because Happy Advisors Sell More Real Estate". I do that by teaching you how to handle the challenges and opportunities that you face every day. If you can effectively manage those certain situations that arise on a daily basis in your business, you’ll be more productive and live a life that is the best version of you. My ask is that you listen as if you are in a one-on-one coaching session with me in my office or on a phone call.
The struggle I presented in the introduction is real and I see it in advisors and entrepreneurs that I coach both 1:1 and in group settings. It's a classic case of the brain doing its job, keeping us in the status quo. Your brain does not want you to "think big". The question becomes "why" and what are the reasons that advisors and entrepreneurs struggle with this process. I identified 10 areas:
- Clarity: they may not have a clear idea of what they truly want or what success looks like for them.
- Fear of Failure: the fear of not achieving their goals can prevent them from setting ambitious or long-term goals.
- Overwhelm and Complexity: a 3-year vision might feel overwhelming, leading people to procrastinate or avoid setting goals altogether.
- Limiting Beliefs: negative self-talk or beliefs like “I’m not capable” or “I don’t deserve this” can block people from envisioning a successful future.
- Lack of Motivation or Passion: without a strong, motivating reason behind their goals, it’s difficult for people to stay committed and inspired.
- Difficulty Visualizing Long-Term Future: some people struggle to think beyond the immediate or short-term future, making a 3-year plan seem abstract or unrealistic.
- Fear of Commitment: committing to a long-term goal can feel restricting or daunting, as it might require sacrifice and consistency.
- External Influences and Expectations: people may struggle to set goals that are truly their own, as they may be influenced by societal expectations or the opinions of others.
- Past Experiences or Failures: negative experiences or failed attempts at goal-setting can create hesitation or doubt in one’s ability to achieve long-term goals.
- Unclear Path or Plan: without a concrete plan or understanding of how to get from where they are to where they want to be, people may find it difficult to set and believe in their goals.
Now that we know the struggles, we need to fully realize why a 3 Year Vision is so important. I turn to Dan Sullivan, with Strategic Coach, for guidance in this area. I've researched his content fully because I absolutely love 3 of the books he's written with Dr. Benjamin Hardy:
I've narrowed down his content into 7 areas that he uses to promote the power of creating and living by a 3 Year Vision:
- Creates a Clear Target: Sullivan states that having a 3-year vision sets a definitive target, giving you clarity on where you’re headed. It transforms vague aspirations into a tangible, achievable goal.
- Provides Focus and Direction: without a clear vision, it’s easy to get distracted by day-to-day demands. A 3-year vision keeps you focused, guiding your decisions and actions, so they align with your long-term objectives.
- Motivates and Energizes: a compelling vision pulls you forward, providing a source of energy and motivation. It’s easier to stay excited and committed when you know your efforts are moving you toward a bigger, inspiring future.
- Encourages Growth and Progress: when you think in 3-year timeframes, you give yourself space to grow. You can envision not just incremental change but exponential growth in your skills, business, and opportunities.
- Creates Accountability: writing down your vision sets a form of commitment. It creates a sense of accountability, encouraging you to track your progress and adjust your approach as needed to stay on course.
- Simplifies Decision-Making: a 3-year vision acts as a filter for decisions. When opportunities or challenges arise, you can ask, “Does this align with my vision?” making it easier to say yes to what fits and no to distractions.
- Turns the Future into a Creative Tool: Sullivan believes the future is where we create our biggest breakthroughs. By projecting 3 years out, you’re using your imagination to craft the best possible scenario, opening up opportunities you might not have considered if you were focused only on the immediate future.
I've been through 4 vision cycles, and I can tell you unequivocally that living by this process has changed my life. The idea of moving toward a vision that you can see, feel, taste, smell and hear does, 100%, provide the daily juice to stay consistent on the things you've committed to creating. If you are finally and fully committed to building out a 3 Year Vision, follow the steps that I've used over the years to do my planning:
- Intentionally, get out your calendar and pick a day that you will focus only on your 3 Year Vision. Yes, you'll need at least 3-4 hours if not 7-8 to fully gain clarity through intentional thought.
- Identify a location, away from the noise, that inspires you. I recommend doing an overnight stay away from your home. (Yes, it’s that important!) Make it an event every year and especially at the beginning of a 3 year cycle.
- When on site, use "Airplane Mode" for 2-hour blocks. You can do this sitting with a notepad. You could do it on a hike using your voice memo app on your phone. I've realized that if you want to get good at life and business, you have to get good at thinking.
- Ask yourself the following questions: "How do I want to live?" and "Who do I want to become?", and I like Dan Sullivan's question: "In 3 years, what would I have to accomplish both personally and professionally to feel like I made major progress?"
- I would suggest taking your notes and compiling no more than 5 personal goals and no more than 5 professional goals. For those of you in my involved in my coaching or attending my group coaching, primarily at Jameson Sotheby's Internationally Realty, use Tab #3 (3 Year Vision) on your Business Planning Guide via your Google Sheet tracker and fill in your results. Pro Tip #1: This might not fully come together in 1 day. You might need to marinate on it for several days for it to sync in. I've edited my 3YV over time.
- These points making up your 3 Year Vision should be in front of you on a daily basis for review. You need to train your brain to look for those things that will help you move closer to and ultimately fully realizing your 3YV.
- Use your daily, weekly and quarterly meetings with yourself and planning sessions to fully recommit to your 3YV.
Some of you may still be struggling with the phrase "3 Year Vision". I am always looking for a play on words and I think I found one that might help you. What if you said to yourself "What is my 3 Year Version?", meaning what version of myself do I plan to be in 3 years? Does that help? Again, that is me probably selling past the close but today, I provided you with the struggles people face followed by Dan Sullivan's reasons why a 3YV is vital to your success and then I ended with how I have successfully "visioneered" over the years.
I also realize as a coach, leader, mentor and trainer, that I can't want it more for you than you want it for yourself. All I can do is provide you the research and the tools; after today's MMPT, you've got what you need to go build your "3 Year Version".
Team, have a great week. You can email me at [email protected] to subscribe and get the resources each week. If the amount of content becomes too much or doesn't apply to you anymore, the unsubscribe button is at the bottom of each email.
