It is that time in the Fall when we think back of the year's events, both the good and the bad. We are licensees in a small community, blessed with those who we represent, those who cooperate with us as other agents and the supporting cast of lenders, appraisers, brokers, escrow officers, our trade associations and staff. We are a select group, educated in the special language of real estate. We are here to succeed.
There is much more to a professional. We can think of this because it is a special time of year combined with the opportunity to reflect and start fresh in the new year.
The foundation of love and connection with those closest to us is one of the most important factors contributing to our success in both our personal life and as a business owner. Regardless of what happens in the industry, nurture your support system so they can do the same for you when you need it.
And, pay back that support. Be the man or woman you know you can be. Your value doesn’t come only from the support, or only from external factors but it comes from YOU; from your expertise, passion, skills and resilience.
Your clients rely on you. Use that training; experience, energy and look forward to the New Year; make the extra phone call, send the extra emails, master social media, make new friends, add new contacts. Ask for the listing, ask to be their agent.
Real Estate agents are optimists, entrepreneurs, deal makers, people-persons. They try and try. They fail and fail. But the drive to succeed, raise the family, keep the lifestyle, or pay the bills, whatever the drive: it keeps us going. No strangers, success and failure are part of our business. Here is an example. Michael Jordan, the professional basketball player (1984-2003). He is a Hall of Fame member. We think of him as a success. But he will be the first to say, he built success on failures. He kept trying. He once said: I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. Don't count the shots you missed. Winners figure out how to win.
In closing, I will add this final thought. It is a thank you. I attended a real estate conference last year. One of the board members closed the two day session with his speech, thanking us for being real estate agents. He welcomed the new members. And, dramatically, he closed going to the table of each person in the room, looked each of us in the eye and said, "you can be all that I believe you can be', perhaps 50 times, over and over. I took that comment with me. it was a strong motivational label. I hope to live up to be all that he expected of me. You can do it too. Start this new year counting your blessings and delivering dreams.