If there is anything Realtors and mortgage lenders have in common, it’s the belief that there is a silver bullet out there that will:
- Double your business
- Double your leads
- Give your life balance
- Make you #1
If y’all weren’t so susceptible to those claims, you would see a severe dip in the ad revenues for Facebook as related to our industries!
Truthfully, you CAN make all of those wishes come true. But it won’t be through any magic shiny gadget or some mystical coaching/training program.
The secret?
- Work every day.
- Work your ass off.
- Then work some more.
And oh, by the way, the work itself isn’t enough. It will only create new drains for your energy and income if you aren’t organizing for your business and financial… and personal… future.
Here are my top areas for focus if you want to achieve new levels in your business and life.
- Financial
– You’ve got to have a plan. You can’t just make money and expect it to magically be there in the future. You’ve got taxes to pay, business expenses for growth, house payments to make, and retirement to plan for.- Set up 4 separate bank accounts. Most small banks are delighted to help you with this! One will receive 40% of every incoming check. That account is for running your business. Yes, office fees and websites and apps and photography and Zillow leads and all of that. If that’s not enough money? STOP SPENDING SO MUCH. (yes, my mama hen came out and yelled at you). The next will receive 30% of your checks. That’s the one for running your life. Your house, your car, your clothes, your groceries. Again, STOP SPENDING SO MUCH. The third will receive 20% of your money. This is the tax account, so you’ll have something available with which to pay your quarterlies and stay out of trouble. The last one gets the 10%. It should really be a pass-through, as this is your tithe. Tithing is Biblical discipline and ask anyone who believes-this idea of returning to God what is His? It works. - Free Days
– Get your life back. That doesn’t mean take a day off in yoga pants but still checking email and social media non-stop. You’ve got to break the addiction of the constant communication if you want to learn to hear yourself think again. You’re pretty amazing when you take the time to listen to yourself. These are also great times to focus on your specials. - Specials
– What am I talking about here? Your most important people. Your spouse/partner/lover. Your kids. Your parents. Your best friend. All of those special people who love you, no matter what your market ranking is. The ones who fill you up and do not drain you. You need to nurture these relationships. They matter. Stop and consider how often you have put these folks behind a transaction and ask yourself which will matter more over time-the people or the money? - Fitness and Health
– Get off your dead ass and DO something. Walk, crawl, run, swim, row, lift weights, do SOMETHING. Your health matters and you won’t have the energy to double anything if you’re not taking care of yourself. I love y’all but you’ve given yourselves too many excuses. Stop NOW. Move. - Education
– You don’t know everything. I don’t know everything. Go find someone doing something different or special and learn from them. Every single class or educational event will have at least one. - GiveBack
– Set up something concrete for giving back to your industry and community. Volunteer your hours to create an industry that is open to entrepreneurs from all walks of life. Volunteer in your community and be a part of the world you like to sell. You know the community better than anyone-you know what’s happening with schools and zoning and roads and values… use that knowledge to benefit all. In fact, run for office. Put your smarts to work in politics and benefit all of us.
Seems daunting, doesn’t it? It’s not that hard. Consider that if you address each of those 7 areas, you’ll be designing not just a business but a life that’s leaving a legacy. The houses and loans and money? They will find you when you’re #MoreThanHouses.
Trust me.
(I’d love to hear about your 2017 plans and what you are seeing as a result of planning, just shoot me an email or use the hashtag #KickTail2017 on social media so I can keep track of you! Here’s to a having an outstanding year!)