I recently had the opportunity to attend the Florida Realtors Convention & Expo in Orlando, where the keynote speaker was Martha Stewart. Though she’s not specifically in the real estate industry, she was there to speak about branding and business building, which are important aspects of a successful real estate business.
As I listened to her wax poetic about how she rose from the ashes stronger than ever after taking a gut pitch and doing some “hard time,” I gleaned some great takeaways on resilience and mindset.
I was reminded while watching her that the mind is a powerful tool. It can make or break you, your business, and your spirit. But if you train your brain to work with your aspirations, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
15 Mindset Hacks to Get Your Brain on Board With Your Goals
1. Think of New Ways to Solve Old Problems
One of the best ways to train your brain beyond its natural limits is by thinking of new ways to solve existing problems. As the world evolves, new technology can help us work more efficiently.
For example, door-knocking used to be the way to find new clients in a farming area. Today, there are more efficient ways to accomplish that same goal. Door-knocking can still work, of course, but there are some more proficient approaches that you can implement that accomplish those same goals.
Technology helps you reach more potential clients with less effort. You can attract clients using software like Parkbench to stand out in your neighborhood. Parkbench will show you how to set up your own neighborhood website establishing you as the go-to person in your community for events, news, and, of course, real estate.
Become the Neighborhood Expert With a Parkbench Community Site
2. Know Your Client
When you really know your client, you can come up with answers to questions that other agents won’t. Speak directly to that same client in every piece of marketing you create.
Start by creating your client avatar. An avatar will help paint a picture of who your perfect client is and make it simpler to clarify your message. Use our worksheet to uncover your ideal client, their hobbies, demographics, and everything you can learn about them. Give that client a name. Use stock photos to put a face to your avatar. The visualization will help clarify your message.
3. Always Keep Pushing Forward
I mentioned Martha’s grit and tenacity. When she was sharing her story, it stood out to me how much she’s not the type of person to dwell on what’s in the past. She is laser-focused on the path forward.
Yes, you will face adversity when working in real estate. When you’re in the early stages of building your business, it can be stressful working for months without getting paid. And the first few times someone yells at you when you’re stuck cold calling FSBOs and expireds to get your first client, it can make you question your career choices.
But no matter how difficult, if you want to move forward in your life or your business, it’s imperative to stay focused on the goal, not the obstacles. And when that first commission check comes, it will all be worth it.
A manager once told me life is like a set of stairs—when you’re going up and focused on the top, you don’t notice the stairs. It’s only when you look down that you see them.
4. Do Your Homework
Martha is an avid student. When something comes on the scene that she’s not familiar with, she studies it until she fully understands it. Many times when we’re faced with change, it can seem difficult to adjust. Make a fervent effort to have a child-like learner’s mind.
“When you’re through learning, you’re through.”
5. Have a Voracious Curiosity
Being curious is the secret to all entrepreneurial success. If you’re not curious about how to grow your business, you will never ask the right questions or even enough of them. Martha has a ravenous appetite for knowledge. She’s constantly asking questions of all sorts of people to learn more about all the things.
Build your business by always asking questions. The best questions to ask are the ones that start with “why.”
You can ask, “Why do we prospect this way?” or “Why don’t we have a process for approaching (specific niche) leads?” or “Why don’t we have a software solution for managing our incoming calls?” These questions will help you find the best ways for your business to succeed. Never accept things just “because they’ve always been that way.”
6. Don’t Try to Predict, Be a Chameleon
We can’t see into the future. So, rather than trying to predict what will happen, be more accepting of what does happen. Take it as it comes.
Think about the last transaction you had. Did something happen that you weren’t expecting? It happens nearly Every. Single. Time. I always love it when something comes back on the inspection report that has the potential to derail the transaction. My personal favorite is termites. Yikes!
But a great agent knows things won’t go exactly as planned and stays flexible, like a ninja, always on her toes, ready for whatever comes. Don’t let the setbacks and the unexpected moments keep you from moving forward. Stay nimble and ready to zig instead of zag.
We don’t know what will happen tomorrow. Case in point: We can’t control the state of the economy, what’s going on in Ukraine, the real estate market, or mortgage rates. Focus on what you can control—your own actions.
You can continue to reach out to your sphere, focus on your marketing efforts, and concentrate on your education. When things happen that you can’t predict, find a way to adjust your sails and take advantage of the situation. There is always a silver lining. Your job is to find it.
7. Have a Bigger Vision
It’s easy to get caught up in the immediate little fires when you’re working through a transaction, e.g., finding your client a property that fits their criteria and their budget, worrying about your seller’s house getting an offer, how much commission you will make, are your marketing strategies working, and keeping up with social media. There’s always something to fixate on.
But to ensure your success, it’s important to keep the overall goal in mind. Focusing on the activities without understanding the bigger picture can make you want to quit.
Focusing on the “why” attached to the activity will keep you moving forward. Think of what you’re actually doing—you’re helping your clients realize their dream of home ownership. Knowing that should give you enough energy to push through the mundane to reach the reward at the end of the transaction.
8. Become an Expert
One thing I found interesting about Martha Stewart is her appetite for learning. She dives into a new topic that she’s unfamiliar with and learns as much as she can. She essentially becomes an expert on the new subject.
Your biggest challenge is to become the real estate expert in your community. Learn everything you can about the market, study your MLS (multiple listing service) inside and out. You should know every home that comes on the market in your farming area. Know your numbers so that when anyone asks you, “How’s the market doing?” you can confidently share your knowledge.
Keeping Current Matters (KCM) can help you quickly become the neighborhood expert. KCM provides eye-catching content you can share with your audience that will boost your visibility, grow your contact list, and promote you as the one real estate professional who “gets” your market.
Share Eye-catching Content From Keeping Current Matters You should also become an expert in your niche. For example, I specialize in military relocations. I have some experience with PCS (permanent change of station) moves, so I parlayed that into helping military families move across the country. I studied and earned my Military Relocation Professional designation to stand out in my market.
That’s just my personal example of how you can use your appetite for learning to become the expert in your field.
Whatever avenues you choose to pursue in building your business, become the expert in your field. If you want to be the go-to agent in your market, study it. You can become the real estate or community expert for your market, but you have to learn the market inside and out.
9. Be Consistent
One of the biggest challenges practically everyone confronts is inconsistency. Clarity can be your greatest ally to achieve the consistency you need. In Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, Brian Tracy addresses this particular stumbling block.
“A major reason for procrastination and lack of motivation is vagueness, confusion, and fuzzy-mindedness about what you are trying to do and in what order and for what reason.”
Getting clear on what your goals are will help you stay motivated to maintain consistency in all areas of your business and your life. A great way to get clear on your goals is to write them down and time block your days. Use our downloadable PDF Daily Planner to get clear on your goals, priorities, and progress.
10. Use All the Tools Available to You
Hand in hand with being a constant learner, it makes sense to use tools that are available to you. Work smarter, not harder, right? There are so many resources and tech tools to help you do your job more effectively and efficiently.
For example, you should be using customer relationship management, or CRM, software to manage your clients, prospects, and leads. If you’re not, you’re not working smarter. Chances of missing that critical touch point with one or more of your people are strong.
Manage your contact list with a CRM that’s powerful yet easy to use, like LionDesk. Even if you’ve never used a CRM before, LionDesk makes it simple with stellar customer support to walk you through every step. Once you experience LionDesk and the many ways it helps you manage all your contacts, email, and phone calls, you’ll wonder how you managed your business without it.
Give LionDesk a Test Drive Free for 30 Days
11. Be Authentic
This one should be obvious. In a more global world where we physically connect less and less, what we put out into the world should be genuine, honest, and personable. People need to see your authenticity shine through.
In the age of TikTok, you don’t have to be polished and put together in every moment of everyday life. That’s not real life. Don’t be afraid to put your hair in a bun and shoot a quick video to reach out to your people. Your makeup doesn’t have to be perfect every time you address your sphere. Be real. Be you.
📌 Pro Tip
Using software to manage your prospects is essential in today’s fast-moving world. Use a CRM like Top Producer to stay on top of your contacts. Top Producer will remind you of those touches so you can clear up your mental energy for other tasks, like managing your clients and helping them through their transactions.
“Small, Smart Choices + Consistency + Time = RADICAL DIFFERENCE”
12. Be an Exceptional Time Manager
Time blocking is a lifesaver when it comes to managing your days. Things that get scheduled get done. So use a daily planner to schedule all the things that you need to accomplish. Darren Hardy, in his coaching programs, teaches entrepreneurs not to create to-do lists, but rather make a schedule for each day.
Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix is a perfect tool to eliminate tasks that are not really the best use of your time.
“Putting first things first means organizing and executing around your most important priorities. It is living and being driven by the principles you value most, not by the agendas and forces surrounding you.”
Prioritizing the things you need to do will also allow you to see the things on your to-do list that you simply don’t have time for. Those are the things you should delegate to someone else. Hiring a virtual assistant or a transaction coordinator will change your life. Trust me.
13. Be an Early Adopter
Along with having a child-like curiosity, Martha Stewart is a big advocate for jumping on things early and giving them a test run. I was surprised to learn that she was an early adopter of TikTok. When I checked out her account, I discovered that she’s been on the platform since the early days.
Recognizing early tech trends helped her grow audiences quickly and rather easily before the competition got fierce. If you’re the type who can recognize a trend and seize on it, you’ll open new avenues to reach your audience and grow your business.
Many agents (and honestly, people in all walks of life) are change-averse and don’t shift fast enough to avoid pitfalls and disasters. If you knew a hurricane was coming straight for your home, would you evacuate? The same mindset holds many of us still when markets shift and the way we do business changes.
14. Work With Those Who Are Where You Want to Be
Martha knows a lot about a lot of things. But that wasn’t always the case. She made a point of surrounding herself with people who knew about the things she wanted to learn more about. I love that she recommends working with people who are already where you want to be. Because this is some of the best advice you’ll ever hear, no matter what industry—get a mentor.
If you truly want to excel and reach your goals, you can’t get there without a map. Hire a coach if you have to, but find someone who can show you the path to success. Coaching is the best investment you’ll ever make. Invest in yourself and stop thinking of yourself as an island. No one gets there alone. Find a guide.
15. Always Have a Sense of Humor
The moment you start taking yourself too seriously is the day your business starts to suffer. We all make mistakes, and we all have blunders. The best way to deal with the crazy life you’re taking on is to always be able to laugh at yourself. You’re human. We all need a good laugh now and then. Just check out TikTok for 20 minutes to see what I mean.
Your Take
Real estate is a wild business with plenty of ups and downs. The key to finding success is having the right mindset. Think like an entrepreneur. You’re running a business, after all, so think like a business owner.
Use these 15 mindset hacks to stay focused on the right things to help you find your success. Be curious. Be vision-oriented. Be authentic. Be adaptable. And above all, maintain a sense of humor. You’ve got this. We believe in you.
Do you have some mindset hacks that help you in your real estate business? Share them in the comments, and let’s keep the ideas coming.
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