When you’ve spent almost 3 decades of your life in the real estate profession like I have, you tend to identify some disturbing patterns of human behavior. Like the little (or big) hurdles people place in their own path. One of the biggest challenges I see time and time again might surprise you… Many, many people in this world don’t believe they deserve success. Am I talking to you? Let’s have a look at this… With everything going on in the world, you might be feeling down lately. But that doesn’t discount your self-worth. You’ve been given an amazing opportunity to live life on the planet Earth here in the 21st century.
You deserve a life filled with wealth, prosperity, happiness, freedom and whatever else you desire. The question is “Do you believe that?” Because here’s what I see when people don’t believe they deserve greatness… They develop a personal narrative that says they are “less than” and undeserving of life’s gifts. The trouble is telling yourself negative thoughts like that creates a dangerous cycle: You adopt this negative narrative. You project it to those around you. The more you do so, the more others reinforce it. Before you know it, it becomes “real” because you and everyone else acts like it is.
Again… am I talking to you here? Does this sound familiar? I hope not, but if it does, be sure to keep reading. Here are five steps that likely won’t give you every answer you seek, but they will provide a fantastic framework on which you can build the life you desire.
Step 1: You Must Know What You Want. Do you want to earn as much money as possible, working 100-hour weeks? Do you want to earn a comfortable living and have time to devote to your family and personal pursuits? Do you want to specialize in some unique property type that is your passion? What do you want from life? Gaining clarity on this question is the first step toward achieving it.
Step 2: You Need To Know WHY You Want It. If you didn’t catch last week’s blog, I shared a fantastic exercise to define your “Why.” Doing so is a critical step toward the necessary drive and initiative required to achieve whatever you determined in Step 1. Without a compelling “Why,” you will not be able to maintain momentum and motivation. Because… what’s the point? Figure yours out and thank me later.
Step 3: Develop and Act On A Plan. Think of your business plan as the road map that leads you where you want to go in life. Without a plan, you’re wandering. You’re guessing. You’re experimenting. The more your plan can break down your actions into small, actionable steps like your daily number, the more effective you and your plan will be. The last step of creating a plan? Follow it! Too many people create their business plan and then stick in a a drawer or in a filing cabinet, never to be seen again. Which brings us to…
Step 4: Find Some Accountability. Be honest… Left to your own devices, how well would you follow your plan? I’m not saying it can’t be done. But it takes A LOT of discipline. That’s why having someone to hold you accountable is a key step in your journey to greatness. A coach. Your broker. A colleague. A family member. As a solo entrepreneur, you need someone in your life who you answer to. Until you find the right accountability partner, you’ll never know exactly what you’re capable of in life. It’s that simple.
Step 5: Celebrate. Honor Yourself. Repeat. Look at what you have done and stop looking at what you have not done yet. When you achieve a goal, make sure to celebrate it. Then adjust your sights and establish new, loftier goals. Then get to work and start the whole process over again. You DO Deserve It. Now Go Make It Happen. To reiterate: None of these five steps will work without a strong belief that you deserve success. I believe in you. I believe you have something special inside you to share with the world, and by doing so, you’ll earn everything you want from life. Find what that thing is, believe in yourself, and go get it!
Strength and courage,
Wade
