His mother, no longer able to provide for him, turned him over to the foster care system. At 22, he was homeless with a two-year-old son to care for.
The only way he could go was up. With $700 start-up cash, he pursued his vision.
Paul Mitchell hair products and eventually Patrón tequila.
One of the most significant traits of his success, he says, was overcoming rejection.
“You’ve got to be prepared in life for a lot of rejections.”
Pointing to a time, he had to sell encyclopedias door-to-door to put food on the table. Many doors, literally, closed in his face. As a result, he came to expect rejection, which proved to be beneficial, as he learned this:
“You must be just as enthusiastic on door 51 as you were on door 50, even if all 50 of those doors are closed in your face!”
John Paul DeJoria’s journey from homeless to entrepreneur and philanthropist – now you know…the rest of the story.
#WinTheDay
Resistance is normal. What you do about it creates the future!
” 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?”
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.
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 was recently reflecting on some coaching conversations and thinking about vectors and the “1 in 60 Rule.” Let me explain:
In math and physics, a vector is a quantity having direction as well as magnitude, especially as determining the position of one point in space relative to another.
If a pilot makes the slightest one-degree error in the aircraft’s flight path, after traveling one mile the plane will be off the course by 92 feet. And after going 60 miles, that error adds up to being a mile off the path.
A minor off-course adjustment over time and distance magnifies the error. If a pilot were flying from New York to Los Angeles, a one-degree shift in the flight path over the entire course would put the plane nearly 35 nautical miles to the South in Orange County at SNA, not Los Angeles LAX.
I work with a lot of entrepreneurs, and many times they call with a complete overall idea – overwhelmed and burned out – yet many times it’s just the 1-degree change that compounds over time that is needed.
“The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”
~ Darren Hardy
Caution: the compound effect – it works both ways – positive or negative.
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!
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 _____ 10. It’s too risky
While actions are crucial, the words we use—both to ourselves and others—have immense power. They shape our thoughts, influence our emotions, and ultimately drive our actions. Even the smallest words can have a profound impact, bringing joy or inflicting pain.
Consider the resilience of Abraham Lincoln. Over his lifetime, he faced a relentless series of setbacks: business failures, electoral defeats, personal tragedies, and even a nervous breakdown. Yet, he persevered.
Forced from his home as a child, burdened by debt after a failed business venture, and heartbroken by the loss of his fiancée, Lincoln faced adversity at every turn. He lost numerous elections, suffered a debilitating nervous breakdown, and yet, he never gave up. He ultimately rose to become President of the United States.
Imagine applying this powerful mantra to each of Lincoln’s challenges: “Because of this, something good will happen.” This simple phrase reframes adversity, suggesting that even in the darkest moments, there is potential for growth and positive outcomes.
The Power of Support:
We often hear that we can achieve anything we set our minds to, but the truth is, we rarely achieve great things alone. “You cannot change yourself by yourself.” This six-word truth highlights the importance of support and accountability. Whether it’s overcoming addiction, improving fitness, mastering a skill, or building a business, seeking guidance and support is essential. This could mean joining a support group, hiring a coach or trainer, or finding a mentor. Discipline requires accountability, and having someone to hold us accountable significantly increases our chances of success.
Conquering the “I Don’t Feel Like It” Trap:
One of the greatest dream killers is the simple phrase: “I don’t feel like it.” How often has this thought derailed your plans? The key is to recognize that feelings are not prerequisites for action. Instead of succumbing to this feeling, choose to act despite it. Replace “I don’t feel like it” with “I’ll do it anyway.”
Remember: feeling like it is not a prerequisite for doing it.
Becoming an ANTeater (Automatic Negative Thought Eater):
To conquer negative thoughts, become an “ANTeater.” This means actively challenging and reframing automatic negative thoughts. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, ask yourself:
Is this thought truly helpful?
Is there another way to look at this situation?
What action can I take, regardless of how I feel?
By consistently challenging negative thoughts and choosing action over inaction, you take control of your mindset and pave the way for success. And that is how we win the day!
I was just reading a research study indicating that 95% of workers want to or plan to seek a new job in 2024! For real estate brokers, this is a two-edged sword… in one way, it opens up opportunities for recruiting and talent attraction. In another way, it’s a watch out for our own staff and agents.
My good friend and colleague Steve Murray from REALTrends did a study in the last downturn – 2008 to 2012 – and found 15 companies that grew substantially during that downturn. He found ONE common trend. It was:
“They got closer to their people. No matter how close or connected they thought they were, they were intentional about getting even closer. More connected. More relevant.”
Retention: how can you get closer to your organization?
Talent Attraction: what events or activities can you do to get closer to your own organization and invite others to experience your culture?
Recruiting: who do you (or your team) need to get closer with to see what’s possible?
One way is our TCF+ methodology:
# of Weekly Intentional Touches:
# of Weekly Conversations:
# of Weekly F2F Appointments Scheduled:
# of Weekly Database Additions:
# of Weekly Referrals you earned from your Agents and Outside Influencers:
# of Weekly DRIS (Data, Recognition, Insight, and Stories) follow-ups you sent:
What is measured improves.
For those in the program, I’d love to hear your success stories and your numbers for the week.
For those not in the program, let’s chat about what’s possible.
For all of us, 2024 is the year to Build Back Stronger. January will not TEXT you back…
