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Beyond the Blueprint: The Wright Brothers’ Flight to Innovation

Orville and Wilbur Wright didn’t wait for permission to invent the airplane. They didn’t have a pilot’s license, which wasn’t even invented yet!  They had creativity, passion, and persistence—the very same qualities you need to achieve your own goals. What dream are you waiting to pursue? You don’t need anyone’s permission but your own. And that is how we win the day!

PS: Another one? Bowerman (Nike) invented the iconic “waffle sole” using his wife’s waffle iron!

Fly
Fly

Stressful Times

These can be stressful times with uncertainty in the marketplace… it’s tempting to adopt a fixed mindset and become reactive.

Here are a few simple tips to consider for keeping a growth mindset despite the current situation. Ask yourself:

”What does this make possible?”

“What new creative value can I provide?”

“What’s the highest and best use of my time right now?”

“Who do I need to reach out to that I’ve not connected with for some time?”

“What if?” “Why not?”

Ambiguity
Ambiguity

 

Leave Nothing To Chance

It seems in business, there are two approaches:

Those who are prepared and those who are not.

A commonly observed trait of peak performers?

Leave nothing to chance; always be prepared.

Anticipate, and prepare, the 6 key questions:

  • why;
  • who;
  • what;
  • where;
  • how and
  • by when?
Leave nothing to chance
Leave nothing to chance

Do You Know The Way To San Jose?

America’s happiest cities. Researchers for decades have studied the science of happiness and concluded that some of the key ingredients include: a positive mental state (a growth mindset); strong social connections; job satisfaction; health, and financial stability. One study suggests the incremental amount of happiness stops at around $75,000 of annual income.

WalletHub examined every state and 182 US cities using 30 criteria and created a list of the happiest cities.

The Top 5 Overall Result: 

  1. Fremont, California
  2. San Jose, Californina
  3. Madison, Wisconsin
  4. Overland Park, Kansas
  5. San Fransico, California

For Community The Top 5 Result: 

  1. Freemont, California
  2. Scottsdale, Arizona
  3. Cape Coral, Florida
  4. Port St. Lucie, Florida
  5. Nashua, New Hampshire

Many factors affect our happiness, so the study included a panel of experts who commented on various aspects of happiness, like:

  • Can money buy happiness? No. The consensus: it’s far more important to have a sense of purpose and a way to give back.
  • Does happiness increases or decrease with age? Yes. The consensus seemed to be a trend of more happiness in younger and older individuals and less in the 40 and 50 age group! Maybe the burden of providing for the family?
  • Does where you live influence happiness? The consensus was yes with a footnote. So research suggests it’s not about the place, but the match between the place and who you are as a person combined with the family and friend connections.

I’ve lived in 8 states (VA, CO, TX, KY, OH, MI, CA, and MN) and 10 cities, and what I’ve found? Grow where you are planted! Every city, state, and region has a history, a story and a community. As I recall, Abraham Lincoln said it best:

“You are as happy as you choose to be.”

 

What is measured improves.
What is measured improves.

Three Steps To Creating More Certainty In Your Real Estate Practice

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” ~ Stephen Covey

Have you ever worked backward from Friday? At the end of the week, imagine you are sitting down and looking back…what would make this week great?

We can’t control the market this week, yet we can control the daily activities that lead to our expected outcomes.

I’m sure you would agree – without a doubt – we are in uncertain times. The paradox is this: we need both uncertainty and certainty in our business. Yet, from the conversations I’ve had this week, we have more uncertainty than certainty. How can we create more certainty?

Get Clear On What You Really Want.

You know this is really clear when your purpose resonates and moves you emotionally.

Make It Part Of Everyday!

  • Create a daily action checklist and follow it
  • What’s the ONE routine you must do every day to win the day?
    • Example: P.E.D.S.
      • Prayer
      • Exercise
      • Diet
      • Sleep
    • What are the one or two activities that move the needle?
      • Marketing that creates NEW appointments
      • Building and maintaining relationships
      • Servicing existing clients and prospects
      • Anticipating and solving problems BEFORE they arise
      • Completing that project
      • Closing open loops
    • Is it all in your calendar?

Have a strategy for when you feel stuck or lost.

  • “If I don’t do this, this is what it will cost me,” or
  • “If I do this, then this is what I can gain.”
  • I don’t feel like it” can be turned into “I’ll do it anyway.”

If you show up for the day with no structure in your calendar and decide to do “urgent” tasks like returning calls and texts and checking Facebook, those activities will expand and eat up all the time you hoped to devote to more “important” activities. You will end the day unfulfilled and have more uncertainty. Get clear on what you want, make it part of your everyday routine, and have a plan for when you feel stuck or lost. That is a winning formula.

The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.

The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.
The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.

Ten Excuses

Ten excuses the top 1% all made, yet figured out a way to bust through:

1. I don’t have time

2. I don’t have the money

3. I will try it next year

4. I don’t have enough data

5. I am too tired, skeptical, or biased

6. No one ever did it before

7. It’s too much work

8. I could fail

9. I will wait until I retire

10. It’s too risky

You can bust through too. One of my associates told me all of these “excuses” are rooted in some sort of fear, so really the top 1% are masters of fear.

Fear or faith?
Fear or faith?

The Power of Persistence in Real Estate: It’s Not Pressure, It’s Value!

You cannot give someone something that you don’t already possess. As real estate professionals, we want others to believe in us, our ideas, and our services. But how strongly do we believe in ourselves?

True confidence is demonstrated by our willingness to persist, even in the face of resistance. It’s not always easy, but it’s always possible. Influential real estate coaches and even the Bible emphasize the importance of persistence.

The key is understanding the difference between persistence and pressure. Sales pressure is repeating the same message regardless of the other person’s concerns. Real estate sales persistence, on the other hand, is about empathy, adjusting your approach, refining your message, and adding more value. It’s about demonstrating that you are the best person to serve their needs.

Persistence: A Universal Principle

Persistence isn’t situational; it applies to everyone, all the time. Are you simply finding deals, or are you actively forging them? Many opportunities lie in creating interest, engagement, desire, and urgency.

Persistence communicates several crucial messages:

  • Genuine Care: You believe people are better off working with you. You’re changing lives.
  • Confidence: You believe in your abilities. Your actions, words, and questions make the difference.
  • Understanding and Targeted Solutions: You understand their situation and offer specific solutions. Certainty is more influential than enthusiasm.
  • Multiple Reasons to Move Forward: You offer value beyond simply listing or showing a property. You provide unique insights that are compelling to each client.

6 Habits of Highly Persistent People (Condensed):

  1. Celebrate their work.
  2. Are driven by a purpose.
  3. Expect and prepare for resistance.
  4. Don’t take resistance personally.
  5. Use resistance to gain insights and add value.

Why Persistence Matters (Key Points):

  • No Substitute: Persistence is essential. You either commit to figuring it out, or you don’t.
  • Don’t Give Up Too Soon: Just because someone doesn’t agree immediately doesn’t mean the opportunity is lost.
  • Consider the Cost of Inaction: What do you cost others by not following through?
  • Addressing Common Objections:
    • Different Communication Styles: Sometimes people need to hear the message differently, appealing to different emotional motives (Profit, FOMO, Comfort, Avoiding Pain, Love, Prestige).
    • Need for More Reasons: Sometimes people need more value stacked onto the offer.
    • Lack of Understanding How to Proceed: Sometimes people need guidance through the process.
    • Need for Time: Sometimes people simply need more time to process the information.

My Conclusion:

Persistence, unlike pressure, always makes sense. It demonstrates your confidence and commitment. By empathizing, adjusting, and adding value, you can turn resistance into opportunity. And that is how you win the day.

Persistence vs. Pressure
Persistence vs. Pressure

 

Somethings Are Just Hard

Near-death by a car accident, boot camp, Kilimanjaro Summit day, Hellmecula, Snowmageddon, Spartan Beast, crazy markets, and so much more.

Some things are just hard, and you want to quit.

I’ve made it through some tough situations with this one strategy: looking only a few steps, tasks or minutes ahead.

“Doing the next right thing.”

At certain times tunnel vision is a good thing.

Consider this – the next time getting through a challenge that seems like it might be too much for you. Lower your gaze to whatever the next minute, step, or task is right in front of you. Then take it.

There are times when big-picture thinking is needed. Yet the moments when you doubt you have the strength or the desire to put one foot in front of the other isn’t among them.

Do the next right thing.

Do The Next Right Thing!
Do The Next Right Thing!

Less Is More!

Focused Time. The top 1% know that less is more! Say what?

Who would you imagine to be more productive—someone who works 55 hours a week or someone who works 70?

If you guessed the latter, you’d be incorrect. Research done by Stanford showed that productivity diminishes after 40 hours and falls off a cliff after 55 hours. In essence, less is more.

Resource? Life on The Wire by Todd Duncan – in his book Todd challenges the status quo in search of a better, smarter way to work and live.

#100DaysOfSuccess

Less is more!
Less is more!