Agents! Stop Making Excuses

Wade Webb on June 2, 2021

realtors stop making excusesIn the book “The OZ Principle” they have an image that shows this invisible line in the world and where some of us live above that line and the rest live below that line. Above the line is the people that take ownership, action, responsibility and learn and grow. Below the line is the people that live in blame, denial and excuses. Making excuses is a natural human response – we are social animals, and we care what others think about us and we want to fit in. Rather than face uncomfortable conversations and feelings, we make excuses and avoid responsibility. People who make excuses may feel happy in the moment, because they’ve avoided a bit of pain. In the long-term however they will be less fulfilled and can feel anxious or depressed. So why do people make excuses? And how can you stop making excuses and start going after your dreams instead? Making excuses can almost always be traced back to one of three reasons: fear, uncertainty or lack of purpose. To stop making excuses, first determine which one(s) applies to you.

FEAR

Making excuses can almost always be traced back to one emotion: fear. Fear can come in many forms. Perhaps you make excuses about going after your dreams as a REALTOR© because you’re afraid of failure. You may make excuses about your weight or your health because of self-doubt and lack of confidence. Some may be surprised by this but many people are afraid of success… in this case they feel they aren’t good enough or deserve success. It isn’t easy to stop making excuses and face your fears – but it can be done.

UNCERTAINTY

As human beings we all have Six Human Needs that drive our decisions. One of our most powerful needs is certainty: we are driven to avoid pain and seek out things we know will bring us pleasure. That’s why it’s so tempting to stay in your comfort zone or pick up bad habits. When we face a situation we’re not certain about, our brains prefer making excuses over dealing with uncertainty. But you can override these natural impulses and stop making excuses.

LACK OF PURPOSE

People who make excuses also often come across as lazy, uninspired and apathetic. Yet it’s more likely they haven’t yet discovered their purpose. As Tony says, “People are not lazy. They simply have goals that do not inspire them.” Focus on finding your passion and living a life of meaning, and you’ll naturally stop making excuses.

HOW TO STOP MAKING EXCUSES

Making excuses is normal from time to time – we’re all human after all. But if it’s starting to interfere with your life and prevent you from reaching your goals, it’s time to learn how to stop making excuses.

1. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY –  The first step to stop making excuses is always to realize you alone control your destiny. As Tony puts it, “The past does not equal the future unless you live there.” No matter what has happened to you in the past, your future is up to you.

2. SHIFT YOUR PERSPECTIVE –  When you take responsibility, you begin to see problems are opportunities, not obstacles. Life is happening for you, not to you. Everything that has happened in your life brought you to this moment – and you can either transform your life or keep making excuses.

3. UNCOVER YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS –  People who make excuses likely have certain limiting beliefs that are holding them back. These are the stories we tell ourselves about who we are. If you believe deep down you’re not deserving of success or you don’t have the inner strength to overcome failure, you’ll continue making excuses to avoid going after what you really want.

4. CHANGE YOUR STORY – Once you’ve identified your limiting beliefs, you can change your story and stop making excuses for good. Do this by identifying negative self-talk and replacing any limiting beliefs with empowering ones. When you change your words – and your story – you change your life.

5. FIND THE LESSON – People who make excuses don’t bother to look closely at their mistakes and determine what went wrong. They blame others and never learn the valuable lessons  failure can provide. Successful people always look for the lesson and apply it to future decisions.

6. STOP OVERTHINKING – The path to success is to take massive, determined action. The ability to make tough decisions is a top trait of great leaders and an essential skill for everyday life, but many people who make excuses suffer from “analysis paralysis.” To stop making excuses, you must stop overthinking, let go of the past and take massive action.

7. DEFINE YOUR VISION – Do you jump out of bed each day with excitement and vitality? If you’re wondering how to stop making excuses, the answer is likely “no.” So how can you start? Go back to the drawing board and examine your blueprint for your life. What do you really want? Create a powerful vision you’ll be proud to follow, and you’ll never make an excuse again.

8. SET GOALS – Discovering your purpose is valuable, but setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. Working toward actionable goals force you to stop making excuses and start creating a compelling future. Start small and set achievable SMART goals. As you build confidence, set bigger and bigger goals.

9. GET SUPPORT – The key to stop making excuses is to hold yourself accountable for your actions – but this isn’t always easy. Get support from a trusted friend or your significant other. Better yet, find a mentor, join a mastermind group or connect with a coach. They’ll have the experience and training needed to keep you accountable and productive.

 

Strength and courage,
Wade

How To Find Meaning In Your Real Estate Business

Wade Webb on August 22, 2018

find meaning in your real estate businessI recently had the privilege of listening to Mr. Jay Abraham, one of the greatest business minds in the world speak last week. One thing he shared resonated with me more than anything else during his 90 minute talk. He said “Fall more in love with the lives you change every day, than your profession.” J. Abraham.

I believe most people have one of three visions of their work.

1. People with a job see work as a chore and the paycheck as their reward. They work because they have to.

2. People with a career like the concept of advancing and succeeding.

3. People with a calling find their work fulfilling and think it feels meaningful, leverages their strengths and contributes to the greater good.

Unsurprisingly, people with a calling orientation not only find their work more rewarding, but work harder and longer because of it. As a result, these are the people who are generally more likely to get ahead than those who don’t have a calling.

It is so interesting, it is not just that people see their work in one of these three ways, but it also doesn’t matter what type of job one has. There are doctors who see their work only as a job, and janitors who see their work as a calling. No matter what job you have, you can find meaning in it. For years I honestly did not see meaning in my real estate career. Working with my father he would constantly be mentoring, counselling and helping other men in our community who struggled. This would drive me crazy and I would tell him we need to focus more on selling real estate and not so much on these men that constantly kept getting themselves in trouble. The irony of this whole thing was the more my dad helped others the more the business of real estate just kept rolling in for us. I soon realized our real estate business was a vehicle to help others in more ways than just real estate and housing. We had a bigger purpose.

I encourage agents to rewrite their job description to be more calling-focused. Think about how the same tasks might be written in a way that would entice others to apply for the job. The goal is not to misrepresent the work they do, but to highlight the meaning that can be derived from it. Then I ask agents to think of their own personal goals in life. How can their current business tasks be connected to this larger purpose? Even the smallest tasks can be imbued with greater meaning when they are connected to personal goals and values. The more we can align our daily tasks with personal vision, the more likely we are to see work as a calling.

You can also try this quick exercise to find a small dose of meaning in your job:

Grab a piece of paper, and jot down a mandatory work task you find devoid of meaning—something you dread. Ask yourself what the purpose of the task is, draw an arrow and write down the answer. If the answer still seems devoid of meaning, ask yourself, What does this result lead to? Write down that answer. Continue this process until you find a meaningful result.

After almost twenty six years in real estate I now know my real estate brokerage, coaching, speaking and training is a vehicle to change lives and that’s what drives me to go to work every day and do what I do. My passion for this industry comes from truly knowing my meaning and purpose and nothing is able to energize me more than that. Zig Ziglar said “help others get what they want and need in their life and you will get what you want and need back in your life, ten-fold.” Take the time right now to go through a rewrite of your job description and the quick find meaning in your work exercise and change how you feel and see yourself in this real estate industry today. You will be glad you did it!

Strength and courage,
Wade