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Are You in the Game?

This could be one of the best years in real estate in the past decade. The difference between a good year and your best year ever will be determined based on what you do next. Will you take the rest of August off to recharge, or will you use the next few weeks wisely to recalibrate your goals for the balance of the year?

In my sales career, there were a few times when my hard work was magnified by the great market. For you, this could be one of those times. Most of us set goals in January, get excited about where life is going to take us, then we put our goals in the rear-view mirror as we get overrun with work. It is time to revisit our goals and take stock.

Why is it important to revisit our goals right now?

We are heading into the final quarter and all races are won or lost in the last stretch to the finish line. It is important to stay in the game and use this time wisely. As parents get kids back to school and Labor Day is behind us, most markets will open up again and move fast until US Thanksgiving. Buyers will be back in full force and you need inventory in place to be ready when they are. If you don’t get listings now, you will miss the opportunity. If you start talking to people in September about selling their house, by the time they get it on the market it will be October. To maximize your fall, you need to get ready now.

You might be thinking that when it comes to goals, I am solely focused on work, but that is not the case. To be truly happy and maintain your health, you need to set goals in several areas of your life. As you pursue a goal in one area, it limits the time you have to pursue other goals. It is a balancing act. For instance, an increase in business can affect your health, your family, your relationships, and your free time.

There are six areas of your life that you need to focus on:

1

PHYSICAL HEALTH

 

If you don’t have energy, strength, and health, the quality of your life goes downhill. You can work long hours and earn a lot of money, but if your health deteriorates, you won’t enjoy the spoils. Great health is different for everyone, and it changes through the different stages of your life.

 

  • On a scale of 1-10, how physically fit do you feel?
  • What could you do to improve your physical health (exercise every day, eat a better diet, get enough sleep)?

If your health is important to you, you will add these activities to your daily routine. Remember, we are not after perfection, we are after progress.

2

EMOTIONAL HEALTH

 

Most people say they will be happy when something happens. When they earn enough money to retire, or when they find the perfect partner, or when they reach a certain weight. Happiness is a state, not a destination. Everyone has challenges. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. Your attitude has a huge effect on your outcome. You don’t have to wait to accomplish something to feel happy. Happiness comes from moving towards a goal. When we do little things every day that get us closer to our goal, we feel satisfied and happy.

 

  • On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you right now?
  • What could you do to improve your emotions (date night with your partner, dinner with friends, join a club with like-minded people, meditate)?

In sales, your emotional health is very important. No one wants to do business with a sad real estate agent. If you are not as happy as you want to be, it is time to make a change.

3

RELATIONSHIPS

 

If you don’t take care of your relationships, you are destined for a lonely life. Your relationships are the most important factor for your happiness. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, connecting with others in a meaningful way brings us joy.

 

  • How well are you nurturing your intimate relationships?
  • Do you spend enough time with your partner, your family, and your friends?
  • How are your relationships with your colleagues?

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we need connections with other people to feel fulfilled. Working too much will burden these relationships.

4

TIME MANAGEMENT

 

Experts say we can’t manage time, we can only manage our schedules. Most agents confuse being busy with getting results.

 

  • Do you constantly feel stressed because you can’t get everything done?
  • Do you set deadlines for projects, but never seem to meet them?

If you think about personal stuff while you are at work and you think about work while you’re at home, it is time to put some boundaries in place. With so many of us working at home during the pandemic, it has blurred the lines between work life and home life. Consider going back to working from the office if you need better balance.

5

BUSINESS

 

How passionate are you about your business? Do you think about it as work you must do to pay the bills, or do you look at it like a fulfilling career? If you view it as work, you equate it to pain. If you view it as a passion, it is something you love and enjoy. When you are passionate about your business and your clients, you can’t help but create raving fans.

 

  • On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you with your career?
  • Let’s pretend you said 5. What would need to do to reach an 8?

Write a list of five things you want to change in your business. Set a deadline for each one. Goals without deadlines are just dreams. If you really want it, prove it.

6

FINANCES

 

I can teach anyone how to make a seven-figure income in this business. That is just the application of tactical strategy. The real conversation I have with agents all the time is whether or not they are willing to pay the price to achieve that level of success. There are only two speeds in real estate. Either you have too much business or not enough. We often work exceptionally hard to get things going, and when they take off we complain that we can’t keep up. Success comes at a cost. It comes at a cost to your health, your relationships and your personal time. The question is, how badly do you want it? The ultimate goal is financial freedom. Financial freedom comes from:

 

  • paying off our debts
  • putting enough savings away for retirement
  • having enough left over to enjoy today

Once we achieve financial freedom, then we work because we want to, not because we have to.

Revisit your goals for 2021. Are you where you need to be with only four months left? If not, what activities will you commit to adding to your schedule every week to get back on track?

If you want to learn more about how to achieve more in your career, check out https://leadersedgetraining.com/virtual-training.

Chris Leader
President
Leader’s Edge Training

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