Living here in SoCal, we aren’t exactly built for the weather we’ve had lately. For the last three weeks, it’s been grey, wet, and a bit relentless – a far cry from the “endless summer” we’re used to.
When the rain doesn’t stop, it changes how you move. It slows down the commute, cancels the open house, and frankly, messes with the collective mood of the market. But as James Clear often reminds us, success isn’t about controlling the forecast – it’s about mastering your response to it.
Here are three reflections from James on how to win your day by shifting your focus from the storm to the next step.
1. The Myth of “Soon”
“You can’t make time go faster or success come sooner. The only thing you can control is the next action.”
In real estate and lending, we often live three months in the future. We want the team to be fully staffed now. We want the rates to drop now. We want the sun to come out now.
But the “Whirlwind” of our business doesn’t care about our timeline. When you feel the anxiety of “how much longer?”, pivot immediately to the next rep. Whether it’s one more recruiting coffee or one more proactive update to a nervous buyer, the next action is the only lever you actually own.
2. The Power of Shedding
“There are two ways to grow: by adding or by shedding. Do you need to add something or do you need to shed something?”
As leaders, our instinct is almost always to add. A new tech stack, a new lead source, or a new meeting. But look at how a storm works – it clears the air by shedding the weight.
Often, your biggest growth leap comes from letting go:
- Shedding a team member who is dragging down your culture.
- Shedding a manual process that should have been automated.
- Shedding the need to be the hero in every single transaction.
Sometimes the “extra mile” is simply the path you clear by dropping the baggage you’ve been carrying for too long.
3. You Don’t Have to Drink the Rain
When you drink water from a cup, it becomes an integral part of you. However, when water falls on you like rain, it evaporates within a few minutes. This raises the question: are these thoughts and feelings I’m experiencing nourishing, or are they more like getting caught in the rain?
In this business, “the rain” is constant. A deal falls through at the 11th hour. A top agent jumps ship. A client sends a frustrated text on a Sunday night.
You’ll always feel the rain, but you don’t have to drink it.
You can acknowledge the frustration without letting it become part of your identity. You can let the thought pass and, in a few moments, the sun will return. You don’t have to claim everything you feel.
Winning the Day
What is the “rain” you’ve been drinking lately? And what is one thing you can shed today to make room for your next action?
The weather will break eventually. Until then, stay focused on the work in front of you.
To your relentless growth.
Great teaching 👍 reminds me of pruning the value you of shedding dead weight gives you the ability to grow back bigger better and stronger in the winter 💪