The Race Has Started. Have You?

Photo by Derek Gavey via Flickr

Monday Morning Match is a quick post - maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea - intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

We're just a few hours from the first month of 2012 being over, yet many of our real estate brothers and sisters haven't even started their year. Oh sure, they may have turned their calendar and they have done the ceremonial business plan but they really haven't begun because they are still waiting for business to come to them.

Many of the active agents I know have some sort of business - at least one new listing or one new buyer.

Do you?

"The thing that has not been begun cannot be finished"

~ Robert Henri

If you don't have any business yet, ask yourself this: "Why not? What am I waiting for?"

It's been a few years since I have heard agents kick off their January so excited by the business at hand in the first few weeks of the year. I know listings are up in our local market and buyers have been pushed to jump in to the action with a combination of low interest rates, pent up demand and warmer than usual weather in the Central, Midwest and Northeast portions of the United States. I expect pending deals in January to outdistance 2011 and that's good news for a market that is in desperate need of a recovery.

How is your local market doing? Do you know the inventory that is available right now and how it compares to last year? How about the list price to sales price ratio? The average days on market? The average sales price? 

If you are knowledgeable enough, you will quickly become the "market expert" your client demands. Shouldn't you know the numbers of your market better than your local grocery store bag boy knows which aisles to find Tabasco sauce and condensed milk? Show you're a true professional and dig deep to understand your market inside and out.

"Can anything be sadder than work left unfinsihed?

Yes; work never begun."

~ Christina Rossetti

The old cliche is true - "He who lists, lasts." Get out there this week and start making phone calls to past clients and members of your sphere of influence. Contact local FSBO's and any listings that might have expired heading into the holidays. Their 30+ days of misery are over and it's time to get them on to their next phase of life. Build your inventory and get ready for the flood of buyers that will be coming soon.

I've never met a top agent who had a great year in real estate that didn't include a busy first quarter. There are about 60 days left until April 1st. Maybe the work you do these next two months will be what you look back on in December and say, "that's when I really got started."

Start today. If you don't, you'll quickly look up and realize it's the last week of 2012.

Focus on how you can build relationships, solve problems and have fun. 

Don't wait. Start right now.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

While instructions aren't on every bottle of shampoo, the concept of what you're supposed to do with the liquid soap while in the shower is pretty easy to understand. It's a 3-step process - Lather, rinse, repeat. Many times the third step is completely optional unless your hair is very dirty or you just love to rub your head.

It's too bad that there aren't such easy steps to follow to achieve success in life, isn't it? If there was, perhaps they would look like this...

Step 1. Begin dreaming with no specific parameters. The wilder, the better.

Step 2. Consciously start thinking about what you want to accomplish or achieve.

Step 3. Flush some of the more concrete ideas out of your head and onto paper in writing. It doesn't need to be (and shouldn't be) your final draft but start a mind map of notes, rough ideas or concepts.

Step 4. Create a "plan of attack." Prioritize the items in your plan so the logical, necessary tasks are completed first.

Step 5. Start executing items off the list.

(This is the equivalent of the "lather" step in the title. How hard you rub isn't as important as covering everything that needs to be covered)

Step 6. Make corrections as needed to achieve the desired outcome.

Step 7. Enjoy the outcome of your process.

Step 8. Review the process. It always makes sense to me that you would want to analyze how the process went to see if there is anything to add or takeaway from your efforts next time.

Step 9. Repeat as necessary or return to Step 1 and start on your next effort.


"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily."
~ Zig Ziglar

I Hope You'll Listen

Monday Morning Match is a short post - maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea - intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

It's been a while since I'd watched my favorite movie from start to finish, so this weekend, I sat down and popped in The Shawshank Redemption. I'm sure that many of you have seen the movie and if you're like me, you've been channel surfing, clicked on the movie and ended up watching the rest, regardless of how far into the movie (or close to the end) it was when you landed on it.

Am I right?

I'm not going to give away any of the plot of the story for those of you who may not have seen the movie other than to say it is a prison movie that was adapted off of a Stephen King story. It is anything but a horror genre flick but then neither was another great movie by Stephen "King of Scary Books" King - Stand By Me.

One of the central stories in The Shawshank Redemption is the friendship that is forged between Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) and Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman). Each actor masterfully plays his role, making everyone watching wish they had a friend as smart as Andy and a friend as caring, loyal and helpful as Red.

More than anything, it's a story about determination and hope. Red starts the discussion about hope when he says, "Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane."

Now I often hear people say "hope is not a strategy" when it comes to success in real estate (or life) and I agree. Hope should never be your only strategy for success. A business plan with goals and a clear outline of specific actions you will take to achieve those goals is certainly a requirement but I think you'd agree with me that trying to live without hope is a pretty difficulty thing.

Hope can be a "dangerous thing," as Red says. And sure, hope should not be your sole strategy. But it was what Andy says to Red towards the end of the movie, as a means to encourage Red to fulfill his end of their promise made to each other inside the walls of Shawshank that just might apply to you and your business this week,this month and this year...

"Hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies."

I'll let you decide what you will do this week. But you might want to listen to Red...

"Either get busy living...or get busy dying"

And until then, I hope you'll build relationships...solve problems... and have fun



Click here to see the theatre trailer for The Shawshank Redemption

Finish What You Started

"Like sand through the hourglass..."



Well, that went by pretty quickly, huh? Can you believe the year is over?



As we sit here on the precipice of a new year, there's a lot to be excited about. I'm sure you have things that will be happening in your business life as well as your personal life that will make 2011 an incredible year. Some of those events, experiences and encounters will lead to incredible opportunities for you. Your financial and spiritual outlooks may be changed in the new year and your health will certainly demand your attention.



Do me a favor and slow down for a second. Think back to your childhood. Did your Mom or Dad ever tell you not to get out one toy until you put away the one you were playing with first? Are you a good book starter but a horrible book "finisher"? Did you join a gym but rarely ever show up?



It's time to "finish what you started"?



Every New Years Eve I get up early and read my favorite book. It's titled "QBQ - The Question Behind the Question." It's a simple book with a simple message written by John Miller. The subtitle of the book is "What to really ask yourself; Practicing personal accountability in business and in life," and it always presents something new each year I read it.



The author doesn't add in new material. I am just at a different point in my life than I was at this time last year. I have new obstacles and challenges facing me and I have had 365 days of learning opportunities in my life.



It's kind of like watching your favorite movie for the umpteenth time. How many times do you catch yourself saying things like "I love this part" or "Ooh, I forgot about this scene"?

• Have you taken time to review your goals that you set for 2010? Can you even find your written business plan? Did you do one?


• Are you proud of what you have helped to create under the roof over your head? Your Family? Your Furnishings? Your Memories?


• Will you look at your checkbook registry or review your on-line bank statement and see how your finances balance out?


• Did you visit some places this year that made you appreciate what you have at home?


• Can you look back and say you are a better person because of some of the people you had a chance to meet?


• Have you built relationships, solved problems and had fun?

As you answered those questions, you either smiled with pride knowing you earned a good grade or perhaps you frowned a bit with some genuine honesty, knowing that you fell short in a few areas. Consider those feelings your "Old Year's Disillusions."

Either way, there's nothing you can do to go back and change what has happened.



The last few grains of sand will fall into the bottom of the hourglass tonight and it will be time to turn the glass over and start again. The clock is ticking down to 0:00 so get ready to shake hands with the invisible opponent at midfield, shake hands, head to the locker room and shower up. You've got until tomorrow to change into fresh clothes, lace up the shoes and start all over.



Ashes to Ashes...



Before the big ball drops tonight in Times Square, I challenge you to take some personal accountability for your 2010. Ask yourself "what can I do to learn from this year?" Write down on a sheet of paper any negatives from the year that are bumping around in your head, making you second guess yourself or causing you pain or embarrassment. After finishing the list - whether it is one item or three pages long - look it over, read it and then take a deep breath.

Then crumple it up and toss it into the fireplace, BBQ pit or trash can. It's done. Gone. It's behind you.



You have now finished what you started.



Enjoy your New Year's Eve festivities then get some sleep. On Monday, you've got to get back to work and get ready to do it all over again.

88 to Make it Great

Monday Morning Match is a short post - maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea - intended to spark some motivation inside of each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning

Today is Monday, October 4, 2010. It's the 277th day of 2010. Counting today, there are 88 days left in 2010.

Have you already mailed it in and started to look ahead to the new year, hoping it will be better, easier or more fun? Or are you getting your ankles taped so you get stay in the game in the fourth quarter and play until the final gun sounds?

Win or lose, are you going to give it your all and make a game of it?

There is no doubt that it has been a challenging year in real estate but here's a simple fact -There have been Buyers and Sellers exchanging properties every business day of the year. On the majority of those deals, a Realtor was involved.

Was it you?

Have you studied the numbers for your local market? I just looked at some data from the Columbus Board of Realtors. Did you know that from January 1 through August 2010, there have been 14,082 sold listings in the Columbus MLS? That equates to 28,164 sides. (A 9.2% increase compared to 2009)

How many were you involved with?

Stop...Make a Decision

• Stop getting caught in the trap of saying that there is no business out there. If you're saying that, maybe you should add "...because I haven't been looking for it every day." Get out there and make an introduction to someone who needs you.

• Stop getting caught in the blame game of saying that lenders and appraisers are making it too hard to get deals together. Make sure you understand what is expected of your clients ahead of time.

• Stop procrastinating on your daily prospecting. There are Buyers and Sellers out there waiting to find each other. Get out there and make a connection.

“People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstance. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.”
- George Bernard Shaw

There are only 88 days left in 2010. Make the decision today that you will make the efforts each and every day to make building relationships, solving problems and having fun a priority.

Make it happen.

Make it a great day.

Make it start....today!

Are You Ready for Some Football?

I am a big believer in people setting a schedule and then following it. Plan ahead and then prepare for the next thing on that schedule each day, week and month. One of my favorite days each year is when my friend and former classmate at The University of Florida Pete Blank from Birmingham, Alabama, sends me the newest College Football Helmet Schedule. (Pete writes a great blog on leadership in case you're interested)

Now that the 2010 college football season is finally upon us, you need to get your College Football Helmet Schedule.

It resides on your computer's desktop (or wherever you might want to store it) and has all of the Division I college teams schedules, by team and by conference. Ever need to know who Akron plays? Click on the MAC tab and you'll know they battle Gardner Webb on September 11th. Unsure whether TCU is at home or on the road against Colorado State? Just visit the WAC tab and you'll know the Horned Frogs go to Ft. Collins for that game.

If you're like me and you need your college football fix at your fingertips, email me at sean.carpenter@cboki.com and I'll send you the excel schedule so you can start following your 'home' teams immediately.

Enjoy the season! Good luck to your alma mater or favorite team.

Get On Your Bikes and Ride

I took my 8-year-old son Ryan to get a new bike this weekend. He has officially outgrown his 16" bike and was ready for his first 20" bike, but before we shopped, we were informed of his need to have a bike with "gears" and specifically one where you could spin the pedals backwards while riding.

As we shopped for bikes and eventually found the one he wanted, it got me thinking about the similarities between a bicycle and a successful career in real estate. Go for a ride here with me, will ya?

Begin with the End In Mind - Yes, this is the same concept as introduced to the world by Dr. Steven Covey in his tremendous book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Ryan knew that he wanted a 20" bike similar to those his neighborhood buddies rode and it had to have the "gears" and he had to be able to pedal backwards while he was still riding.

What do you have planned that you want to accomplish today, this week, this month or this year? Have you reviewed the business plan you created at the end of 2009? What are the specific things that you have to have to make this year a success? Now that you have those things clearly in your mind, are you ready to pedal until you achieve them?

What's Your Comfort Zone? For Ryan to ride comfortably on his new bike we had to lower the seat as far as it could go and even then, he still needs to stretch his legs when he stops. But, we all know he'll grow into the new bike as the summer begins.

How safe do you like to feel when you're facing your daily activities? Do you "lower your seat" as low as it will go because it's not too much of a stretch or do you find yourself always trying to go a bit higher? The more we can push the limits of our comfort zone, the stronger we will get. Confidence doesn't come to those who repeatedly do the easy stuff, it comes to those who master the easy and then reach for the harder stuff, seeking to make that become the easy stuff until they are ready to reach for the next level of hard stuff. Remember - people don't pay top dollar for the easy stuff they could do themselves.

What would you say is "outside of your comfort zone" today? Maybe it's that For Sale By Owner that you just saw this weekend? That upset client who left you a message that you just don't want to call back? Perhaps it is asking for a full fee on your next listing presentation? Success is rarely found inside your comfort zone.

How's Your Balance? - Riding a bigger bike isn't much different from a smaller bike except it's a lot longer to the ground if you fall. The key is to maintain a steady balance whether you're moving slow or fast.

In a career like real estate, the word "balance" can be a bit hard to define. Are you looking for balance between your work life and your personal life? Time spent with clients vs. time spent with family? Focusing on business development activities vs. time spent on business support activities?

There's no generic answer to finding balance because for everyone, it holds a different meaning. Sometimes on a bike, the faster you go the easier it is to stay upright while other times, you must slow down to regain your balance. Two things are true about balance in both bike riding and real estate; #1 - You need to stay focused on what is ahead of you. If you spend too much time look backwards, you're sure to lose balance and go off course. #2 - If you slow down too much, you will have no forward momentum and you're sure to topple over. Keep those wheels moving forward.

Look Both Ways - A good bike rider is always aware of his or her surroundings and watches for the obstacles that could impede his movement forward.

Are you comfortable with your ability to look at your activities and responsibilities from all angles? When you negotiate for your clients, are you smart enough to anticipate what the other party might do next so as to best position your client? When you fail, can you look objectively at your actions to see where improvement is possible? Do you try to put yourself in your clients shoes - gaining the empathy that might be needed in certain situations? Can you sometimes see where your actions might not have been prudent and are you honest enough to admit mistakes?

Changing Gears - Ryan needs to learn that you can't change gears while you're standing still. On a bicycle, in order for the gears to engage properly, the wheels and chain must be in motion when the gears are changed or else chain derailment may occur.

In real estate, the changing of gears in a daily occurrence but it is usually best dealt with by those who are constantly engaged in activity, not those who are waiting for things to happen. Remember back to your junior high school science class when you learned about Sir Issac Newton? Newton's First Law states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by another force.

Have you ever noticed that the busy agents in your office are almost always busy and those who have no business are usually complaining that the market is too slow for anyone to have business? What inertia will you apply to your business today to start the momentum moving towards your goals?

It's time to get that old bike out of the garage and get ready for a great spring ride. Strap on your helmet, jump on the seat and grab a hold of the handle bars. Pick your destination and take off, pedaling your ass off until you get to where you want to be.

I know Ryan will be doing the same thing every day this summer.

Monday Morning Match - How Do You Spell Overwhelmed?

How do you spell "overwhelmed"?

Is it just me or can this business called real estate sometimes really overwhelm you? Between the "no standard schedule" schedule and the "need it yesterday" pace, it's no wonder that Happy Hour on Friday can't come soon enough.




Whenever I talk about time management and life balance in my classes, I always seem to hear some snickers and sighs from the audience. Most people seem to operate from a reactionary or defensive position instead of being "on offense" or in control.



Three P's for Pain in your Day



If you want to continue to feel overwhelmed, disorganized and always that "step behind," here are three P's (definitions courtesy of FreeDictionary.com) to have in your toolbox:

• Petulance - Unreasonably irritable or ill-tempered
• Procrastination - To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness
• Pessimism - tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view

Just reading those words might cause some reaction in your head or heart. Does your procrastination cause you to exhibit a petulant attitude? When you get overwhelmed, doesn't it seem easier to allow those negative feeling to creep into your mind?

Four P's for Pleasure in Your Day

Starting today, make the choice to look at your job (or life) a bit differently. Eliminate those feelings of being overwhelmed by focusing on these 4 P's for pleasure in your day:

• Plan
• Prioritize
• Perform
• Play

It's simple to see, isn't it?



Plan what you need to do each day, maybe even before you leave the office the night before. Write down those tasks, big or little, that you think need to get done in the next work day. This should be everything that comes into your mind. Some people try to create their "to do" list before they head home each night, creating a symbolistic chasm between work time and personal time. Others keep a list in their Day Planner, Outlook or smart phone and it becomes a working document each night. Who among us hasn't had one more thing we need to do pop into our heads before bed?



Prioritize your list of tasks before you do anything at the beginning of the day...even before you check your email, voice mail or Facebook page. Ask yourself which of the activities or tasks written on your list will most directly result in achievement of one of your goals? For most of you in real estate there should be two things that receive the highest priority - Appointments and Closings.

Every task or activity should pass the following test before taking it's final spot in your "to do" list; "Will doing this get me closer to a closing or appointment with a potential client?"



If yes, it needs a high priority. If no, it should move lower on the list.



Now you need to perform the top priority items on your list and make every effort to complete them before starting another task or "to do" item. Develop the discipline to stick with a task until it's completion.



If you can plan, prioritize and perform each day, you should have time to play. Define that as you wish but it might mean spend time with family, enjoy a round of golf, go for a run, enjoy friends or charity work or anything that might be fun for you.



As you look at the upcoming week, what will you focus on? The three P's of Pain or the 4 P's of Pleasure?

What Realtors Can Learn from College Football

Are You Ready to "Tackle" Your Way to the Top?

Thankfully, the college football season kicked off this past week. As a huge sports fan, this just may be my favorite time of year. Between college football, professional football (kicking off this week), baseball pennant races, the PGA and NASCAR playoffs and hockey training camps, the Fall is a great time to be a sports fan. It's also a great time to be a Realtor.

In the same tradition of my November 2008 blog post about What Realtor's Can Learn from Black Friday, let's take a look at What Realtors Can Learn from College Football:

Proper Expectations are Created During the Recruiting Process

When you became a Realtor, what were your expectations? My guess is no one gets started hoping to be "just average." Maybe you didn't necessarily want to be the superstar but you certainly wanted to be on a great team and have a chance to earn playing time.

College programs look for players with the right skills, work ethic and personalities that they can combine with the players they already have and the systems they run to continue to work towards a championship season. It also helps to understand a team's "system" so they can make sure the players that are recruited will fit in nicely. They promise to train, coach, provide maximum exposure to the best tools available and welcome you to their school and family of alumni, fans and supporters.

Real estate brokers should be doing the same thing, especially in today's ever-changing landscape. If you're with a full service company like Coldwell Banker, you probably met with a Branch Manager or Recruiting Coordinator who discussed how the company can help you get to where you want to be with substantial training, coaching, maximum Internet exposure and national branding.

Training Camp - Turning "Role Play" into "Game Play"

I have never heard of many players who look forward to the grueling days of pre-season training camp. Sure, they are excited to be back with their teammates, back on campus (their "home away from home") and just weeks away from starting another season. In August, everyone starts with an equal chance of hoisting the National Championship trophy at the end of the season. But unless they love pain, they're never looking forward to two-a-day practices, wind sprints and coaches in their faces for three weeks.

It is clearly evident once the season kicks off that the players (and teams) who give 100% effort in this phase of their season will earn the biggest payoff once the games begin. As the old saying "practice the way you play" infers, the more you can put yourself in "game situations," the more prepared you'll be.

Does your company offer a thorough training program? Do you take advantage of training opportunities such as scripting sessions, skill building workshops and on-line educational opportunities? Do you have a written business plan showing how your "season" is going to play out? Are you "lifting weights" by practicing scripts, learning about contractual changes and studying market inventory so when you're in a game situation, you'll react accordingly?

Just like most football players don't like the sweat equity required in August, they know it will help them in the trenches of a close battle with a equally prepared conference foe late in the season.

Will you be ready when face-to-face with a Seller who has a tough objection? Will you be confident when a co-op agent send you a counter offer and tells you you're in "multiple offers"? Will your training help you "act" like a skilled professional instead of "react" like a Rookie when it counts?

Preseason Rankings Matter...But That's Why They Play the Games

Do you ever wonder how people who are part of those pre-season rankings determine who gets their votes? Do they base it on the number of players returning each season? Do they look at the schedules of each team and try to determine the number of wins and losses each team will have? Do they vote for their favorites or perhaps their alma mater?

It certainly helps to start the season towards the top of the rankings because if you do what you're supposed to do (i.e. win games), you'll be at the top when the season ends. If you lose however, you'll need to climb back over people...sometimes with victory and sometimes with a little pizazz and P.R. for good measure.

Much of a team's pre-season rankings can be attributed to their reputation. Can the media (or those voting) count on you handle the pressures of a big game or will they assume you'll choke in a pressure situation? Many people didn't think BYU could beat Oklahoma during opening week but a untimely injury to Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford and a determined effort by Max Hall and his underdog BYU Cougars led to the first big upset of this season.

What does your personal marketing say about you? Will people have a preconceived belief about you before they meet you? Are you playing for one of the "big names" in town or will you need to have a few "upsets" to start becoming known as a challenger?

One thing is for sure - people love an underdog, so don't worry about your pre-season rankings. A skilled, confident and determined agent can deliver a quality presentation to any Buyer or Seller with the proper preparation. Just don't get caught reading your own press clippings and start believing how good you are. All it takes is one slip up to dramatically affect a season. Treat each client as if they are the only "game" on your schedule and deliver the services you know you can with enthusiasm, energy and service.

League championships and individual awards can't be won in week one but that can be lost. Titles aren't given out during the season just like commission checks won't be earned during a deal, so always be prepared for fourth quarter comebacks and pre-closing obstacles. Until the clock strikes zero or the HUD-1 statement has been signed, remember that the ball is still in play.

Your Schedule Plays a Big Role in Your Success

It's been said by many "experts" that Florida's schedule this season sets up well for the Gators to return to the National Championship game at the end of the season. As a Florida alum (Class of 1991) I am very proud and excited for our chances but will certainly reserve getting too excited until they arrive in Pasadena in January 2010.

In many cases, these schedules are determined years in advance, usually before any of the current players were even a candidate for recruitment. College players don't get to choose who they will play but once that first ball is kicked off in early September, play the games they must.

No questions asked, no excuses about "not being ready," and certainly a team would never just not show up.

A Realtor will be much more likely to succeed when they prepare and follow a consistent schedule. There are basically two sets of activities that should be on most Realtor's schedules: Business Development and Business Support.

What area do you think most agents spend their time on? That's right...business support. Where do you think they should be spending most of their time, effort and energy? You got it...business development.

You see, business support activities will never tell you "no!" Business support activities are easier and usually don't involve any self-esteem impacting events. But it won't take the business-saavy agent long to realize that without business development, there will be no "business" to support.

In addition to the weekly business meetings that will keep you updated with your office, company and industry, a schedule should involve prospecting activities (lead generation calls, follow up visits to FSBO's and Expired listings), listing appointments and buyer counseling sessions, showings and closings. It will also require time for coaching, training, script practice, follow up, inspections and computer research.

Just like a balanced team will need to practice offense, defense and special teams, a good Realtor should be sure to include personal activities into his or her schedule including things like church, children's activities and appointments.

Avoid the Big Injury

Just like Oklahoma will need to proceed without their Heisman Trophy winning QB Sam Bradford for an undetermined portion of their schedule, making sure you stay in "playing condition" throughout the season will be a huge key.

Be sure to find some time in your schedule for physical exercise, maintain a healthy diet and listen to your body. Until you've been in this business for a while, you never realize how exhausting the role of a Realtor can be. Don't succumb to the fast paced, fast food filled world of real estate. One sure way to avoid exhaustion is to drink plenty of fluids.

Buy In to What the Coaches Say...and Don't Believe What the Media Might Say

In football and in real estate, your coaches/managers are looking out for your best interests. Magazines, reporters and web sites are looking to sell papers or gain subscribers and readers.

Good coaches and managers will help hold you accountable to the activities needed to achieve the levels of success you desire or expect (see above). They will strive to show you how your actions can positively affect your future.

The media will usually provide detailed accounts of what wasn't done and who was negatively affected.

Only you can choose who you will listen to.

Play with Emotion...Play to Win

No matter how loud the crowd cheers or no matter how good the band sounds playing the fight song, the success of a team will be determined by how well it executes once the whistle blows. Don't winning teams play with passion and enthusiasm? Don't winning teams execute each and every play as if it determines the outcome of the game? Don't winning teams have leaders who step up and challenge their teammates, encouraging them to give it all they've got?

The same philosophy applies to Realtors. No mater how shiny your name tag, what type of car you drive or who designed your suit, it still boils down to how well you know how to deal with people. Are you excited to help people achieve their goals? Are you confident in your ability to help people solve their real estate problems? Do you believe you are the best person for the job?

It's Game Time

So there you have it...a few things that Realtors can learn from college football. As the cool temperatures of Fall arrive and people break out their college sweatshirts to cheer their schools on, think about the "big game" you're facing in your real estate career right now. We're just a few ticks away from the 4th quarter - where games are often won or lost. Will you be ready to execute when your number is called?

Good luck to you and your team as you move through the season.

Down...set...hike!