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Don’t quit.
That is what I saw when I picked up an old journal. I had written it 2 years earlier but did not have a clear memory of writing it. It was a time in this real estate business when the market was down, sales were down and so was my income. Around 2008. I was walking down the hall and my team leader said ‘Congratulations!’ and handed me a folder.
Inside was a an award for being No. 10 in the office. No. 10 out of about 80 or 90 agents. Sounds pretty good, huh?
The fact was I was barely earning minimum wage and struggling financially a great deal. But I was No. 10. I have to say it was hard to continue but even the business I came from was struggling greatly. It was hard for everyone.
In the leadership teaching our pastor shared more of the story about Caleb and Joshua. Caleb had to believe God would keep his promises to Israel for 45 years to see it fulfilled. That’s a long time to believe but it’s what leaders do if they are convinced it’s the right thing.
I was about 5 years into this business and it was a real struggle but I was also convinced I had made the right move. I believed I was doing it the right way and all I had to do we continue. I was learning more about working by referral. Focused on doing that because I saw very successful teams fail at the FSBO and Expired route. I had gotten to No. 10 at that time by working by referral and the others had gone out of business.
I’m not bragging to impress you. I just want to share what I was thinking and what I was convinced of. I was convinced this was the business I wanted to be in and I was convinced working by referral was the way to do it long term.
Where are you in your business? Is it a struggle to continue? Do you believe you can do this enough to continue in it? Belief is the difference maker here I think.
There are some things that need to be continued and some things that need to be stopped. It’s hard to tell the difference sometimes and that was my lesson when I read those words in my old journal. Don’t Quit!
Focus tends to follow belief and I think the word ‘quit’ is the focus in this statement. I was focused on quitting and struggling to not quit.
Imagine a child has climbed up a tree. He’s 30 feet up and has decided he’s scared. Too scared to climb down. You are his parent come out and see him. What do you say? Is it ‘Don’t fall!’ or ‘Hang on!’? Two very different focus point. Falling or hanging on. I believe ‘Hang on!’ is the best thing you can do for him at that moment. Talk him down one branch at a time and focus on hanging on.
I did that. When I read the words ‘Don’t Quit’ I realized I was focused on quitting. I changed my perspective that day and focused on success. It’s about 10 years later and I’m still in the top 5 in my office but it’s not minimum wage anymore. It’s still working by referral and helping the folks in my database. It’s relationships and now it’s mentoring too.
I want to help you. This blog is focused on agents who struggle with lead generation and working by referral. If you are getting this in your email from me then you’re in. If it was forwarded to you or you found me via a web search then I’d ask you to sign up below. I want to help you continue.
There’s one more in this series so watch for that. It’s called Rewind.
Thanks for listening,
Jerry Robertson
678-616-1578 Direct
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