This week in our Agent First Mindset, we watched a video from Simon Sinek, a professional speaker and writer with expertise in living the life of a true leader. Today, Simon shares with us several tips for becoming better people and leaders in our industries by pursuing life with an infinite mindset.
At our weekly Agent First Mindset meetings, we gather to help each other sharpen our real estate and personal skills to become more well-rounded and successful agents.
In this session, Simon is going to help us succeed at real estate by learning how to live with an infinite mindset and help others do the same.
The Infinite Mindset
The truth is, life is infinite. It was here before us and will endure beyond us. We don’t get to choose whether we play or not–we have to play because we were born. But we do get to choose to make a difference instead of living for ourselves.
There are several ways to live with an infinite mindset so you can build the life you want to live. Real estate is a massive industry, and we won’t get anywhere by fitting in. Here are some tips to follow to make sure your real estate career and your life intersect on the infinite stage.
1. Go After The Things You Want
There are two ways of looking at life. Some people see what they want, but some people see the things that prevent them from getting what they want. There will be many challenges in your real estate career that you have to overcome, but don’t make those your focus.
Instead, keep your eyes on what you want and be creative. Find new ways of engaging leads, finding clients, and selling homes. You can do it your way and break the rules, and there’s only one rule you always have to follow: don’t get in the way of someone else getting what THEY want. As long as you can help them buy or sell the home, your clients won’t care how you do your job.
2. Sometimes, You’re The Problem
You can take credit for your successes all you want, but you must also be willing to take accountability for your actions. If you make a mistake and something goes wrong for your client or your business, take responsibility and learn to do better. Don’t just blame everyone else.
3. Take Care of Each Other
In real estate, there are tons of agents and clients to work with every day. You’re never going to be alone. In this business, it’s not about how tough or smart or fast you are. It’s about helping the people around you.
Accept help when it’s offered, ask for help when you need it, and give help whenever you can. That’s how you and your company are going to advance.
4. Learn to Be The Last to Speak
Whenever you come to a meeting with clients or with your team, leave off speaking until the very end. Always listen and always give others the chance to talk first. Hold your opinion to yourself until others have spoken.
If you do this, you’ll get to hear what others are thinking. This will make them feel heard and give you the opportunity to consider their opinions. Don’t worry about nodding yes or no as you listen, either. Instead, focus on thinking about what they’re saying. When everyone else has had their turn, then you can speak with their needs in mind.
5. Remember that the Perks Aren’t Meant for You
As you advance in status and get more well-known and successful, people will treat you differently. They’ll help you more, bring you more things, give you more attention. Always remember that these perks aren’t meant for you as an individual; they’re meant for your position.
You can certainly accept and enjoy these things, but don’t let them puff you up. If you lose your position, you’ll lose the perks too. Keep your eyes on what matters: winning more sales and purchases for your clients. Stay humble and remember it’s all about them.
The Good Leader
As a truly good leader, you have to be there for people. You have to help others and be willing to sacrifice. You can’t just have it all easy.
Many of us have grown up with the mindset of the millennial. We are struggling to get ahead in the world because our mindset is all wrong. Or we’re seeing clients and team members living with the wrong mindset and staying stuck in the past. Here are four things you should look out for in your mindset and in the mindsets of your team:
- Don’t always walk around feeling like you’re special. Kids learn that they don’t have to do much to be good. They’re special enough to get a prize even when they lose the game! That’s not how life works. In real life, you have to work for what you want. Being special means nothing in real estate if you don’t work hard.
- Don’t be addicted to technology. Just like alcohol, gambling, and drugs, technology releases dopamine. The gratification it offers is not real. Don’t get caught up in how good it feels to get a reply or a call or a like on social media. And definitely don’t turn to social media for help when you’re stressed–turn to real people.
- Don’t be impatient. We live in a world of instant gratification, but instant gratification isn’t real fulfillment. Life doesn’t offer that. Life, including your real estate career, isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. It will take you time to get to where you want to be, and you should never settle. Have patience and put in long hours to make your business the best it can be.
- Don’t build an environment of fear. Most people today are living in an environment where they’re afraid of making mistakes because they might lose their job. This isn’t the way to lead a real estate team. No one is perfect, so don’t expect perfection. Allow people to mess up and learn from their mistakes. Treat people like people–that’s what they are.
The Infinite Real Estate Career
As an agent, you’re going to have to work harder than you ever have before to get leads, land clients, and close transactions. Take to heart Simon’s helpful advice:
- Fight for what you want.
- Be humble.
- Help others.
- Understand your weaknesses.
- Lead well.
If you can do these things and build that infinite mindset, you’ll soon find yourself creating the infinite real estate career you’ve been dreaming of.
If you’re interested in joining our weekly Agent Mindset calls to hear from these experts and discuss it with a team, consider joining Agent First Group as a real estate partner. Each week we meet to discuss all the important things in life, from real estate to our mindset and so much more! Connect today.