Why Do We Need To Re-Examine Our Habits
It’s not that we are necessarily lazy, it’s just that our natural tendencies are to follow the path of least resistance. We all have habits, both good and bad. Some of them we are aware of, and some we don’t even realize we have unless someone points them out. While some of our good habits DO come naturally, the majority don’t and require constant effort to maintain. Why? Because our brains are wired for minimum effort. It’s the reason why it’s so much easier to sit on the couch all day eating junk food, than actually hitting the gym and sticking to a healthy diet. It’s not that we are necessarily lazy, it’s just that our natural tendencies are to follow the path of least resistance.
The goal of this book is to help us break bad habits and develop positive ones.
Unlike other books and courses that promise easy fixes and mental shortcuts to make you more productive, this book understands that real and lasting improvement needs attention and self-control.
How to Be a Great Real Estate Agent
Real estate agents need to be tough to succeed.
Agents commonly have to deal with different demands from different clients, as well as the pressure to constantly increase their customer base.
They also need to make sure they close enough deals to make a living!
It is a demanding and high-pressure career!
In today’s business world, it is one of the most competitive environments.
So, how can an agent rise above the competition?
The difference between top-performing real estate agents and the rest of the pack is unclear.
I’m glad you read my two previous articles and had a strong reaction to them. In response, I’ve put together this article on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Home Buyers and 7 Habits of Highly Effective Home Sellers.
The series of articles was inspired by Stephen R. Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Stephen R. Covey’s life experiences and leadership projects and seminars form the basis for the book.
Despite only being four years after the original printing, the 1993 reprint of the text includes seven pages of praise testimonials.
There are enthusiastic endorsements from high-profile individuals in various fields, including academia, business, politics, and sports.
Some people compared Covey to Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher, because of his wisdom.
Covey states his organization’s power-packed mission statement:
To help people and organizations achieve their goals by teaching them how to lead based on principles.
1. Be Proactive
Humans are different from animals in that we can self-reflect, make paradigm shifts, and change our reactions to situations.
The ablitity to make positive changes in our lives is not something we are born knowing how to do. When we are first born, we are completely helpless and rely on our parents for everything. However, as we get older we become more independent and are better able to make our own decisions.
Even though most adults are able to develop good habits, they usually don’t. The reason for this is that they never really leave the “dependent mentality” of childhood. They just react to what happens around them instead of being proactive and taking control of their own lives.
In real estate, you can EASILY identify reactive agents, since they often make expressions such as:
- “My broker never gives me any leads. No wonder I’m so behind my sales cap.”
- “Zillow just makes it impossible to compete.”
- “I just joined real estate at the wrong time. That’s why I’m not getting any leads.”
The book mentions that proactive people have “response-ability”, which means they always have the ability to control how they respond to any given situation.
A person can become proactive by devoting their mental energy to positive thinking and planning.
The circle of concern is everything that a person is concerned about but has almost no direct control over. This can be factors such as taxes, the economy, or a natural disaster. The circle of influence is the things that concern a person that the person can actually change or affect. Covey suggests that people should focus more on the things in their circle of influence because they have more control over those things.
The things that we are concerned about can be broadly categorized into a few areas: climate change, taking care of our families, societal norms, and the daily commute/errands.
There are some things in our lives that we can control and other things that we can’t. Worrying about the things we can’t do anything about is a waste of time and energy.
It’s helpful to think about the things that you can and cannot influence separately. This way, you can focus your energy on the things that you can actually do something about.
You will be able to make real and effective changes in your life if you focus on the things that you can influence. The more energy you focus on the things within your control, the more you will be able to influence.
2. Begin With The End In Mind: Deal with issues before they arise
Always keep a clear picture of the end goal.
Your goal should be to close deals and sell homes as quickly as possible.
If you manage your time better, you’ll have more time for clients, which will result in more deals closed and help you reach your goals faster.
If you keep this in mind, it will help you to remove any obstacles to success.
Make preparation to deal with issues before they arise!
You should not wait for problems with the property to be found during a home inspection. You should be prepared for these issues in advance.
You might want to talk to your seller at the beginning of the marketing process to find out about any potential problems that need to be fixed.
An effective agent can help the seller understand the benefits of being honest about any problems with the property, rather than hiding them.
Not being transparent about potential problems is a stupid way of doing business, which may cost you the sale.
The buyer should be aware of these issues from the beginning.
The inspection will reveal these issues regardless, so it’s better to be honest from the beginning.
Additionally, it will help to create a good relationship with the buyer.
A good agent will also have a solution to the problems.
Clients are looking for agents who are honest, so being transparent with them will help you achieve that goal.
Trust is a very important part of life. It is essential for effective communication and it is the foundation of all relationships.
The text is about Stephen R. Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change.” In the book, Covey provides seven habits that he believes can help people change their lives for the better.
3. Put First Things First
We only have a limited amount of time, and it’s easy to let distractions like social media, what other people think, and small things consume us and decrease our productivity.
In order to be an effective real estate agent, you need to use your time and energy efficiently in order to achieve your end goal. You also need to have the discipline to do what is necessary, rather than being governed by your desires or impulses.
The Eisenhower time management matrix can help you use your time more efficiently.
There are two ways to categorize all of your tasks: importance and urgency.
Although it may not seem important, neglecting activities that are essential to your success as a real estate agent can have negative consequences.
The tasks we often neglect on Quadrant II are the ones that actually determine our long-term success as real estate agents. These tasks deal with building relationships and long-term planning. Although we know we need to do these things, we rarely get around to them because they don’t seem urgent.
4. Think Win-Win: Emphasize positives, deal with negatives
All properties come with advantages and disadvantages.
Sellers should highlight positive selling points by making them more appealing.
An effective agent will not make negative things go away, but will deal with them.
If you’re good at coming up with solutions to problems, you’ll be able to turn negative situations into positive ones.
The effective agent has a toolkit for this point.
The person is skilled at taking pictures, listing the property, and making it look appealing.
Agents who are effective always pay close attention to detail.
Any changes, no matter how small, could influence the client’s final decision.
An agent with a win-win mentality understands that if the client is successful, they will be as well.
If the agent does their job well, they will be rewarded with a good sale or a great price.
Your success and theirs are linked.
Don’t try to sell something to someone who doesn’t want it.
-Denis Waitley People who are effective are not focused on problems; they are focused on opportunities. They nurture opportunities and don’t give attention to problems.
In his book, Stephen R. Covey outlines seven habits that highly effective people share. By focusing on these habits, you can learn how to become more effective in your work and in your life.
5. Synergism
Although the word “synergy” is often used as corporate jargon, the idea of working together to achieve more than working alone is a valid one.
There are a lot of opportunities for cooperation in the real estate industry. For example, if you refer some of your clients to a local business, and they do the same for you, you’ll both benefit from each other’s network of contacts.
As a real estate agent, you can also collaborate with loan originators, insurance agents, construction firms, real estate attorneys, appraisers, gyms, restaurants, etc.
Real estate agents who are effective typically form relationships with other reliable professionals to create the best team possible.
- Working with a well-known real estate agency is a great start!
If clients recognize you as part of a reputable company, the work of building a good business relationship is already off to a great start. - Regardless whether you’re working for a bigger name brand agency or not, you can still empower yourself by building a robust business network!
You can work in a mutually-beneficial relationship with bond originators, home inspectors, appraisers, attorneys, buyers, and sellers.
All can benefit from the marketing process, so invest into sharing good referrals across the board!
Be willing to work with others so that you can close more deals faster. - The best real estate agents realize the need for a marketing plan, which extends beyond your team, and stretches into the use of your technology. Well-run websites and social media streams are a primary source of leads and referrals. Be aware of what home sellers are expecting from you as their real estate agent!
Great agents don’t leave this to an “IT guy”: they are knowledgeable and invest in internet-based marketing themselves. - Get your business running tightly so you can focus on closing deals.
Evaluate your current systems, look for ways to improve efficiency, and streamline where possible to save time and money.
Habit 6: Sharpen the saw
If you have to cut down a tree and you only have 45 minutes, you will be much more successful if you spend the first 30 minutes sharpening your saw. If you spend the whole 45 minutes trying to cut with a dull saw, you will only get tired.
Always be growing! Habit number seven is to never stop growing and improving as a professional. This means constantly honing your skills in real estate, whether it’s learning new negotiation techniques, integrating new tools, streamlining processes, training your team members, or testing out different marketing strategies. Keep growing and learning, and you’ll be sure to succeed in this ever-changing industry.
The process of self-improvement is never-ending and by constantly working on yourself, you will become a better real estate agent.
Conclusion
If you want to improve your life and benefit from these habits, it’s not enough to just read and agree with them. You actually have to apply them. We recommend getting a copy of the book and starting with habit 1. Gradually work your way through the book, implementing each habit into your life.
