Mark's passion and expertise is enabling real estate broker-owners and team leaders to create the systems, structure, and processes to support their growth. He also enjoys sharing his thoughts on business success on his blog: www.winningtheday.blog
” What would happen if you never tolerated inaction in yourself?”
This thought-provoking question challenges us to examine our relationship with action, failure, and growth. In a world where procrastination often holds us back, embracing movement becomes essential. In this blog post, we’ll explore the transformative power of action, drawing lessons from both success and failure.
1. The Paralysis of Inaction The Comfort Zone
Inaction feels safe. It’s the cozy cocoon where we avoid risks, sidestep challenges, and settle for mediocrity. But within this comfort zone lies stagnation—a slow erosion of potential. When we tolerate inaction, we deny ourselves the chance to learn, adapt, and evolve.
The Illusion of Perfection
Perfectionism fuels inaction. We wait for the perfect moment, the flawless plan, or the ideal circumstances. Meanwhile, life passes us by. The truth is, there’s no perfect time. Action doesn’t require perfection; it demands courage. Imperfect steps forward lead to progress.
2. Lessons from Failure Failure as a Teacher
Failure isn’t the enemy; it’s a wise mentor. Each misstep, setback, or disappointment carries valuable lessons. When we embrace failure, we learn resilience, humility, and resourcefulness. It’s through failure that we refine our approach, recalibrate our goals, and discover hidden strengths.
The Cost of Inaction
Consider the cost of not acting. Regret, missed opportunities, and unfulfilled dreams accumulate. Inaction robs us of experiences, relationships, and growth. It’s like standing at the edge of a cliff, fearing the leap, while life beckons from below. Trust movement—even if it means stumbling.
3. Trusting Movement Small Steps, Big Impact
Action need not be grandiose. Small, consistent steps yield remarkable results. Whether it’s writing a page a day, taking a daily walk, or learning a new skill, these micro-actions accumulate over time. Momentum builds, and suddenly, you’re miles ahead of where you started.
The Ripple Effect
Your actions ripple outward. When you defy inaction, you inspire others. Your courage becomes contagious. Imagine the impact if everyone refused to tolerate their own inertia. The world would shift, evolve, and thrive.
Conclusion?
“Trust movement.”
These two words encapsulate a powerful philosophy. By rejecting inaction, we embrace growth. So, dear reader, take that step, write that email, make that call. The lessons lie not in perfection but in motion. Let failure be your guide, and trust movement—it’s the path to transformation.
Perfection is not the standard, progress is!
The journey begins with a single step.
There are some lessons that only #failure can teach.
Failure is not the problem. #Inaction is. #Procrastination is.
Trust movement.
” What would happen if you never tolerated inaction in yourself?”
Recalling today a fun conversation I had with a military pilot instructor, who emphasized the importance of situational awareness in his training, the cliff notes?
Situational awareness vs. target fixation.
Target fixation is an attention phenomenon where an individual becomes so focused on the target (or a goal) that they increase their risk of crashing into the target or it places them at greater risk of ignoring other factors going on around them.
As the name implies, situational awareness is simply knowing what’s going on around you and involves at least three key steps:
1. Perception of what is happening
2. Understanding of what has been perceived
3. The use of what is understood to think ahead and act accordingly
Whether it’s sports, art, or business, understanding target fixation vs. situational awareness will serve us all very well.
Regardless of where you are on your goals year to date, there is still time to produce more this year. If your desire is to close the first half strong; not be broke on July 1, and be prepared for an amazing back half of the year,back half of the year then you gotta read this.
3 killer strategies…
Up your seller education game;
Portray trust and
Regardless of YOUR age, appeal to millennials.
Some time ago I had the honor of attending the Zillow Premier Broker event in Chicago, IL. The Zillow Consumer Housing Report was an amazing value add, and at least 3 major trends stood out for me.
Trend 1: Up Your Seller Education Game
Zillow’s research shows more than half of all sellers have NEVER sold a home before. It’s a totally new experience for them. Place yourself in their shoes: Are they scared? Are they apprehensive? Are they afraid of being taken advantage of? Do you think they wish they knew more than they do? That answer would be YES to all of those.
So, let’s look at what that means to you and me. This is one stat begging you to proactively help educate your prospects and, in the process, attract more referrals and more listings.
For those of you with extensive experience, you could write up a report like, “4 Ways To Maximize The Value Of Your Home” or “3 Essential Facts Every First-Time Home Seller Must Know” and offer them on your lead capture landing pages.
Promote them by running Facebook ads in your target communities, along with a video about how you’re passionate about educating sellers. For those of you with less experience, you can hire out these reports to content writers in your area… check out FIVERR or #GTS = Google That Stuff!
Practical ideas to consider:
Informative Direct MailCampaigns, like: The benefits of a “Home Warranty Sellers Coverage” policy
Short special reports and white papers, like: Best Home Improvements• Determining Your Homes Value• Value Of A Pre Sell Home Inspection• Benefits Of Partnering With A Hyper-Local Expert, Like Me!
Educational seminarsor zoom sessions
Short videosto walk people through the process with a call to action to reach out to you
Quick seller tipson social media with a call to action to reach out to you
And while it may be their first time, today’s sellers have access to more data and best practices BEFORE they reach out to possible selling agents. They are looking for a strategist with the market knowledge, marketing skills, and legal know-how to do the heavy lifting that will get them from sale to closing.
Some of the activities “self-starting sellers” get a jump on before engaging with an agent include home improvements (50 percent), coming up with a list price for their home (39 percent) and securing a home inspection (25 percent).
Trend 2: Ensure Your Marketing And Promotions Portray TRUST
Eighty-six percent of consumers say trustworthiness is “extremely” or “very” important when choosing an agent. When your biggest asset is at stake, you want to trust the person guiding your transaction.
So, let’s think about what makes someone trustworthy. Or better yet, let’s discuss who we don’t consider trustworthy:
Complete strangers• Salespeople who only show up when there’s something in it for them
Obviously, the more familiar people are with you, the more they are naturally likely to trust you. So, if 86 percent of consumers are telling you that you must be trustworthy to even be considered, what’s that mean to you? It means you need to be putting yourself in front of prospects over and over and over again to create that familiarity that breeds trustworthiness.
Do you have more than 5 testimonials and endorsements?• Do you create a “social proof” marketing piece that shows what OTHER people say about you?• Are you visible and involved in the communities you serve?• Are you marketing to the same neighborhoods consistently or jumping around to wherever you take your next listing?• Does your website or your marketing give any insight into who YOU are as a person, or do you come across like a real estate robot?
All of these questions lead to huge opportunities to build trust with homeowners so when they decide to sell, you’re already in that “extremely important” category of being trustworthy.
Trend 3: Regardless Of YOUR Age, Appeal To Millennials… Nearly 50% Of Your Future Business May Depend On This!
Millennials – that generation between the ages of 24 and 38 – account for 42 percent of all home buyers and 61 percent of all first-time buyers, according to Zillow’s report. These folks were raised on the Internet. As a result, they’re accustomed to Amazon-level service and ease of use. You know that experience: Where you order something late Friday night and somehow it shows up on your doorstep on a Sunday morning! That’s the standard you’re up against when you work with 42 percent of buyers. So here’s the big question:
Are your services and systems up to that standard?
If your answer is no, it’s time to adapt how you do things.
Strive to make working with you as easy as ordering from Amazon. Where can you streamline? What can you eliminate? What more can you do prior to meeting with a buyer to make the process smoother? What “extras” can you provide to make your service more beautiful? We all need to be asking ourselves these questions and refining our systems on a regular basis because that standard isn’t reversing course anytime soon. It’s only going to get higher and higher.
There you have it… 3 killer strategies… up your seller education game; portray trust and regardless of YOUR age, appeal to millennials.
To resonate with prospects, you must understand their pains, problems, desires, and triumphs.
In the game of real estate leadership and sales, resilience and mental toughness are key players.
When obstacles arise, our performance hinges on the quality of our preparation and training. But how do we cultivate resilience? By understanding the factors that can steal it away, we empower ourselves to navigate the journey from chasing perfection to creating progress.
Here are seven ways individuals inadvertently rob themselves of resilience:
1. Ignoring Emotional Signals: Leaders sometimes miss the mark by dismissing their emotional cues. Instead of suppressing feelings, we can embrace the “accept, reflect, and redirect” model, allowing emotions to guide us.
2. Avoiding Self-Reflection: Neglecting introspection limits our ability to manage stress and adversity effectively. Self-reflection helps us uncover triggers and develop coping strategies.
3. Seeking Quick Fixes: Resilience isn’t a one-time fix; it’s a continuous practice. Avoid distractions and invest in the necessary work of building adaptive mechanisms.
4. Isolating: During tough times, leaders may withdraw from support networks. Connecting with others provides valuable perspectives and bolsters resilience.
5. Neglecting Self-Care: Prioritizing physical, mental, and emotional well-being is essential. Neglecting self-care leads to burnout and compromises our ability to bounce back.
6. Ruminating on Failures: Dwelling on past setbacks without extracting lessons hinders resilience. Break the cycle of self-doubt and negativity.
7. Resisting Change: A fixed mindset impedes resilience. Embrace adaptability and navigate change with confidence.
So, a few questions to consider:
Which one of these habits do you (your agents, your clients) fall into?
Remember that small chip in your windshield that you kept putting off? It eventually spread into a major crack, costing you far more to repair than if you’d addressed it immediately. The same principle applies to your real estate business. Small, unattended issues can quickly escalate, especially in a challenging market.
Think of today’s market as a rough, pothole-filled road. If you’re not paying attention, small cracks in your business foundation can widen. For real estate agents, these cracks might look like:
Not knowing where your next lead is coming from.
Lacking systems to handle new business while still generating more.
Feeling overwhelmed by administrative tasks.
Struggling to maintain motivation.
These seemingly minor issues can lead to a bigger problem: the dreaded “I don’t feel like it” mentality. This feeling—this resistance to doing the work—is the universal dream killer. It stops more people from achieving their goals than any other excuse.
But you can overcome this. You can choose a different path.
Here’s a two-step strategy to overcome “I don’t feel like it” and keep your business on track:
Step 1: Acknowledge and Reframe.
It’s okay to not feel motivated sometimes. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Instead, acknowledge the feeling without letting it control you. Think of it like this: You can’t stop birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair.
Here’s how to reframe: Instead of saying “I don’t feel like making calls today,” acknowledge the feeling (“I’m feeling a bit resistant to making calls right now”) and then add a reframe: “…but I’m going to make just five calls to get started.”
Step 2: Take One Small Action.
Momentum is built through action, not motivation. You don’t need to feel like it to start. In fact, often, the feeling of motivation comes after you’ve taken the first step.
Here are some examples of small actions you can take:
Lead Generation: Make just five calls, send three emails, or post one engaging social media update.
Client Follow-up: Send a quick text to a past client or schedule a coffee meeting with a potential referral source.
Skill Development: Spend 15 minutes reviewing market data or practicing a new script.
Organization: Clear your desk, organize your files, or update your CRM.
By focusing on one small, manageable action, you break the cycle of procrastination and build momentum. Once you start, you’ll often find it easier to keep going.
The Bottom Line:
You are in charge of your business, not your feelings. Don’t let “I don’t feel like it” derail your dreams. Acknowledge the feeling, reframe it, take one small action, and watch your business thrive. And that is how we win the day.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the entrepreneurs I coach and the surprising way a simple rule from aviation applies to their journeys. It’s called the 1 in 60 Rule.
In aviation, a one-degree error in heading translates to a one-mile deviation for every 60 miles flown. A tiny, almost imperceptible miscalculation at the start becomes a massive course correction over a long distance. Think about a flight from New York to Los Angeles. That one-degree mistake could be the difference between landing smoothly at LAX or being 35 nautical miles off course.
This principle is a perfect metaphor for an entrepreneur’s journey. Many of the founders I work with feel overwhelmed, burned out, or stuck. They often think they need to blow up their entire business model or make a drastic change. But what they really need isn’t a complete overhaul—it’s a series of small, one-degree course corrections.
These minor adjustments, made consistently, can have a compounding effect that steers their business toward success. As Darren Hardy said, “The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” The compound effect works both ways: tiny positive changes lead to remarkable results, while small negative deviations can quietly derail even the most promising ventures.
So, instead of searching for a revolutionary change, ask yourself this: What one-degree course correction can you make today? What seemingly minor adjustment to your routine or strategy could, over time, steer you significantly closer to your goals?
Your prospects and clients prioritize four critical dimensions during their home-buying experience:
Reassurance: Having helpful, knowledgeable, and accessible resources and staff who can confidently guide and support customer decisions. Reassuring they have made the right decision along the way, is a critical skill.
Transparency: Being open and straightforward about policies, pricing, and processes.
Simplicity: Streamlining the home selling or home buying journey to make it straightforward and easier to navigate.
Speed: Efficiently handling the process to minimize delays and waiting times.
“There’s no shortage of remarkable ideas, what’s missing is the will to execute them.”
~Seth Godin
Let’s dig into each of these dimensions a little deeper:
Reassurance:
Importance: Reassurance is paramount for customers. They seek confidence in their decisions, especially when making a significant investment like buying a home.
Your Role: Sales and support staff must be helpful, knowledgeable, and accessible. They must instill trust by providing accurate information, addressing concerns, and guiding clients through the process.
Customer Benefits: Reassured customers are more likely to proceed with the purchase, leading to successful transactions.
Transparency:
Importance: Customers value honesty and transparency. They want to understand policies, pricing, and processes without hidden surprises.
Clear Communication: Salespeople and support staff should openly discuss all aspects, including costs, fees, and potential challenges. Transparency builds trust and reduces anxiety.
Avoid Jargon: Simplify complex terms and ensure clients comprehend every step. Transparent communication fosters positive relationships.
Simplicity:
Importance: The home selling and buying process can be overwhelming. Customers appreciate simplicity and ease of navigation.
Streamlined Processes: Salespeople and support staff should simplify paperwork, explain steps clearly, and minimize bureaucracy. A straightforward process reduces stress for buyers.
User-Friendly Tools: Introduce digital tools that simplify document submission, approvals, and communication. A user-friendly experience enhances satisfaction.
Speed:
Importance: Delays frustrate customers. Speedy processes are crucial. Some delays can’t be avoided, and this is when communication, transparency and reassurance merge.
Efficient Handling: Salespeople and support staff should expedite paperwork, inspections, and approvals. Timeliness demonstrates professionalism.
Manage Expectations: Communicate realistic timelines and proactively address delays. Clients appreciate transparency even when things take longer.
Customers weigh these dimensions almost equally, with a slight edge given to reassurance.
By prioritizing these aspects, real estate sales professionals and their support teams can create a positive and memorable home-buying experience for their clients.
As the sun sets in one place, it rises in another. But for the defenders of the Alamo, the sun never rose again. They fought bravely against overwhelming odds, knowing they would not survive. They left behind a legacy of courage and honor that inspires us to this day.
On March 6th, 1836, the 13-day siege and battle of the Alamo came to an end. The Mexican army stormed the fort and killed almost all of the defenders. Among them were famous figures like David Crockett, James Bowie, and William B. Travis, who wrote these immortal words: “I shall never surrender or retreat.” But they were not alone. About 200 other men joined them in the fight, and only 15 lived to tell the tale.
Every year, at dawn on March 6th, a ceremony commemorates the fallen heroes of the Alamo. We remember their names, their faces, and their stories. We honor their sacrifice and their spirit. Remember the Alamo.
How do you handle defeat? My strategy? Accept. Reflect, then redirect!
