by JPAR Press & Media | Mar 30, 2020 | Action, JPAR, Real Estate, Results, Strategy, Success, Taking Action, Tips
Have you ever wondered if success in life is ultimately determined by our response to hardship and failure?
How is that some people release their survival mentality and embrace the opportunity to use hardships to heal, grow, and help out while others do the opposite? In this article, I intend to deliver three ways to move from survival to thriving.
Model Others
At its core, all businesses are just people carrying out an idea, solving a problem for a profit. It’s never the other way around; for instance, there is no idea so big that it doesn’t need people to make it succeed. Investors know this, hence the saying “Bet on the jockey, not the horse.” A great jockey is a great role model.
The tale of two real estate agents… in one of our nearby communities, a real estate agent is suing the local municipality over the shelter in place restrictions. The mayor posted – naming the agent – that at this time, he is having to redirect his energy and resources to the lawsuit rather than be entirely devoted to the crisis. The community is “virtually running the agent out of town” while slamming him all over social media that he cares more about selling homes than the city.
I’m not judging here, as citizens it is our right to use the legal system… it’s not about right or wrong. Who knows, maybe the agent will win the battle, yet you and I know he has already lost the war. I would not model my business after this agent.
Contrast this to James Sharp, one of our JPAR top producers based in Plano, Texas. James and his team have adapted quickly to virtual showings, virtual listings and becoming resourceful in advising buyers and sellers on what they can do in this market like:
- Continue to work virtually on mortgage pre-approval
- Virtually consult with him and other professionals
- Continue to research and stay informed
- View listings online
- Giving back – serving the community where there is a need
A perfect model to thrive in today’s market. What makes me proud of our JPAR associates is I could name 100 others – like James – that have emailed, texted, or shared via zoom how they are serving their communities at this time while still virtually serving the needs of existing clients.
Create Hope
Those of you who know me personally, know that one of my favorite quotes is:
“Once You Choose Hope, Anything Is Possible.”
In his book “The Hope Quotient,” Ray Johnston reveals a revolutionary new method for measuring and dramatically increasing your level of hope.
Hope is more than a feeling; it’s the by-product of seven key factors. When these factors are present in your business, they cause hope to thrive.
Factor 1: Recharge Your Batteries.
Nobody does well running on empty.
Factor 2: Raise Your Expectations.
You don’t get what you deserve; you get what you expect.
Factor 3: Refocus on the Future.
It’s time to throw away your rearview mirror. No one goes forward well when they have an unhealthy obsession with looking back.
Factor 4: Play to Your Strengths.
Be yourself; everyone else is taken.
Factor 5: Refuse to Go It Alone.
Never underestimate the power of support. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto.
Factor 6: Replace Burnout with Balance.
Burning the candle at both ends isn’t as bright as you think.
Factor 7: Play Great Defense.
Avoid the five toxic hope killers that can threaten your future.
What are those 5 Hope Killers?
- Bitterness and resentment
- Worry and anxiety
- An unhealthy obsession of looking back and comparing
- Guilt
- Past failures
What practical steps can you take to improve your defense?
- Never make big decisions when you’re down.
- Respond to bad news in resourceful ways.
- Shake it off and step up.
Johnston explains how building these seven factors of hope into your life will increase your hope level dramatically and will free you and fuel you to catch a fresh vision for your future. And when that happens, anything is possible.
Now fair warning if you go to buy the book, Johnston is a devout Christian. I believe in our constitution and the freedom of religion – it’s one of many things that makes America great. Now I’d like to share I have friends and associates from every faith and of no faith. I respect their freedom, and they respect mine.
Build Resilience
“More than education, more than experience, more than training, a person’s level of resilience will determine who succeeds and who fails. That’s true in the cancer ward, it’s true in the Olympics, and it’s true in the boardroom.” ~ Diane Coutu
According to Coutu, resilient people possess three characteristics:
- A staunch acceptance of reality;
- A deep belief and associated values, that life is meaningful;
- An uncanny ability to improvise.
She states, you can bounce back from hardship with just one or two of these qualities, but you will only be truly resilient with all three. These three characteristics hold true for resilient organizations as well.
Coutu goes on to say, resilience is a reflex, a way of facing and understanding the world that is deeply etched into a person’s mind and soul.
Resilient people and companies face reality with staunchness, make meaning of hardship instead of crying out in despair, and improvise solutions from thin air. Others do not. This is the nature of resilience!
There are obviously more than three-ways to survive and thrive, yet a good start is to find great role models, create more hope, and build your resilience. Let’s get started today!
by Mark Johnson | Oct 20, 2019 | JPAR, Newsletter, Perseverance, Process Goals, Real Estate, Results, Success, Sucess Goals, Tips, Weekly Newsletter, Work
Behind every success story is a back story. Perseverance.
Thomas Edison – his teachers, said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was fired from his first two jobs. He made 1,000 attempts before inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I did not fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was invented with 1,000 steps!”
Henry Ford went broke five times before he succeeded.
Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4, did not read until he was 7. One of his teachers said he was slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams.
Coaches Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, and Jimmy Johnson accounted for 11 of 19 Super Bowl victories from 1974 to 1993. They also share the worst record of first season coaches in NFL history. Their collective record as first-year coaches is one win and 45 losses.
Speaking of football – remember Vince Lombardi? An expert at the time said, “He possesses minimal knowledge and lacks motivation.” Lombardi would later write, “It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get back up.”
Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, yet he made 714 home runs. He said, “every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”
Michael Jordan was “cut” from his high school basketball team.
Cyclist Lance Armstrong was cut from his high school football and swim teams. He turned to cycling and finished last in his first race as a professional.
Van Gogh – sold only one painting during his life to his sisters’ friend for $50.00.
Abraham Lincoln went to war as a Captain and returned as a Private. He failed at business. As a lawyer, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success. In politics, he was defeated in running for congress, in his application to be commissioner of the general land office, for the senate on two occasions and, for the Vice Presidency. He wrote a letter to a friend, “I am now the most miserable man living. If what I feel were equally distributed to the whole human family, there would be not one cheerful face on earth.” Two years later, he was elected as President of the United States, where he successfully led the country through its greatest internal crisis, the American Civil War, preserving the Union, ending slavery, and rededicating the nation to nationalism, equal rights, liberty, and democracy.
by Mark Johnson | Oct 5, 2019 | Action, Appointment Setting, Consistency, CRM, Goal Setting, Goals, Goals for 2019, JPAR, outcome, Outcome Goals, Real Estate, Results, Tips
There are 84 days left in 2019 and 60 productive working days, depending on how many days you work, how many holidays you celebrate, and so on. Regardless you have about 84 days to wrap up 2019. 84 days!
What will your bank account look like on January 1 of 2020? Is it your desire to have a more significant bank account or a smaller one? Whatever your goal is, NOW is the time to make that happen.
The next 60 days will be critical for setting yourself up for strong close to 2019 and a fast start to 2020. What you do in the next few days and weeks will determine the size of your bank account on January 1 and your momentum for the first quarter of 2020.
CHALLENGE 1: What would happen to your business if, for the next 20 working days, you made one new appointment each day?
Let’s face there are two types of agents today: hobbyists and CEO’s. This article is not for hobbyists, those part-time agents who dabble. For those of you that run your business like a business, those of you that know your daily number and know what it takes to generate one sale, then this article is for you.
CHALLENGE 2: Get clear about the next 84 days:
- Write down the number of sales you’ve made so far this year.
- Write down the source of those sales.
- How many listings will you earn between now and the end of the year?
- How many additional families or investors do you want to serve between now and the end of the year?
- How many contacts do you need to make to drive that number
- One rule of thumb is 40 contacts to 1 sale.
- Who are they, and how will you go about connecting with them?
- What systems do you have in place to create the result you desire?
After completing the quick exercise above, here are 5 actions you can take so you’re not broke on January 1:
- Decide Now. Decide now how many days you will work, how many days you will be off, and how many “flex days” you’ll have between now and the end of the year. Decide what direct response marketing campaigns you will run. For example, if you will create an investor campaign to take advantage of year-end investment buyers.
- Up your CRM game. There is no excuse for not having your CRM updated and working for you. It takes discipline; yet once you realize your CRM is the engine that drives your train, that task becomes less negotiable.
- Delegate. Is it time to find some help? An office or virtual assistant. Your highest and best use is prospecting.; lead generation; going on appointments and negotiating contracts. Everything else delegate. Scared? Get resourceful, many new agents I know are sharing a fractional assistant to split cost yet keep them fully employed.
- Diversify your lead generation sources. Too many struggling agents rely on ONE, maybe TWO lead sources. FOUR sources of business – split between influence strategies and control strategies – provides diversity and stability to your real estate practice. Note, don’t add four sources all at once. Start with one new source, get it working and stable then add another until you reach four sources.
- Target Market Clarity? Any market rewards the hyperlocal expert. Are you an expert in a community? Are you an expert in a profession like Nurses, FBI agents, CPA’s? It’s probably time to get hyperlocal and specialize.
So, I’ll leave you today with three final things to consider:
- Knowing what you know now, what immediate adjustments do you need to make?
- Cash is king. Are you building your cash reserves? Are you reducing bad debt? Investing in marketing? (Hint: You can do all 3.)
- Have you started a small weekly accountability group with like-minded, goal-oriented CEO’s like yourself? If not, what’s holding you back?
by Mark Johnson | Mar 18, 2019 | Consistency, JPAR, outcome, Outcome Goals, Productivity, Real Estate, Results
When you are inconsistent, nothing works. Here’s what I know: agents who are consistently setting and going on appointments are producing more results, period. These agents are consistent and disciplined in their daily routine of prospecting and marketing.
Consistency… social media does not work if you are not consistent; geographic farming does not work if you are not consistent; repeat and referral do not work if you are not consistent; open houses do not work if you are inconsistent; online leads do not work if you are not consistent.
Show me something in your life or business that works when you are inconsistent. Anything you are going to do, the more consistent you are with your mindset, your attitude, your approach, your expectation, your strategy and your tactics the more predictable the result. Bottom line: when you are consistent everything works… when you are inconsistent nothing works.
So my question is, what have you been inconsistent with? What has that inconsistency cost you financially, cost you emotionally, cost you physically?
I’d submit the action – we can all be more consistent in setting and going on more appointments.
We CANNOT control the market.
We CAN control ourselves, our thoughts and our actions.
Next Steps:
1. Make an appointment setting goal for the next 2 weeks and share it with an accountability partner.
2. Gather your past client list, all of your past leads, open house registers and people you know and start making appointments today.
3. Be CONSISTENT… list the 1, 2 or 3 things that you must do on a consistent basis that will propel your business forward.
#WinTheDay
