Persistence
If what you’re doing aligns with your definition of a success, you must persist without exception. Find a way when it appears there is no way.
Persistence Starts With Alignment
Persistence only works when you know what you’re persisting toward. If you haven’t defined what success looks like for you, every obstacle becomes a reason to quit. When you have, every obstacle becomes a problem to solve.
When It Looks Like There Is No Way
- Ask a better question. Swap “Why is this happening to me?” for “What can I do next?”
- Change the approach, not the goal. If calls aren’t connecting, try a handwritten note, a text or a pop-by.
- Get help. A coach, a manager or a peer may see a path you can’t.
- Shrink the step. When the whole thing feels impossible, find the next small action that moves it forward.
What It Looks Like in Real Estate
A buyer loses three offers in a row. A listing goes stale at 60 days. A top recruit says “not now.” Each is a moment where most people stop.
The agent who finds a way calls the listing agent before writing the fourth offer and asks what the seller really needs. The agent with the stale listing brings the seller fresh data and a new plan instead of waiting on the market. The recruiter who hears “not now” asks permission to stay in touch, and does, every month.
None of this is dramatic. It’s the next right move, made by someone who decided quitting wasn’t an option.
For leaders: who on your team is stuck right now? Sometimes the way forward is a ten-minute conversation with you.
The Wright Brothers Had No Pilot’s License
They had no license to earn and no manual to follow. They figured it out anyway. When something feels impossible, don’t ask “Can this be done?” Ask “How could this be done?” Who has already solved a version of this? What would I try if I knew I couldn’t fail?
Difficult doesn’t mean impossible. It means getting more resourceful.
Framework: This post is part of Action Produces Data, the coaching framework for consistent production: take the next right action, track it and let the results, not opinions, guide what you do next.
Want help applying this in your brokerage? Book a 30-minute conversation with Mark at calendly.com/mjsession.
