The Secret to Success in Anything |
By Denise Lones
The Lones Group
THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IN ANYTHING
I'm always amazed at how many different ways agents ask me the same question: "What do I need to do to be successful?" When I'm asked, I take a good look at their business and identify everything they're not doing.
When I tell them, "For you to be successful in this area of your business, you need to do this (and state a particular thing)."
Six months later, they often come back to me and say, "Denise, how can I be more successful?"
When I ask how the first recommendations I made are going, I often hear, "Well, that plan didn't really pan out well." Hmmm, I think to myself. I know it's a proven plan that works for agents everywhere. Why didn't it work for this person?
When I dig deeper with questions, invariably I find out that at some point, the agent lost the discipline to keep going on my original recommendation and now they're looking for a new "magic strategy" to try. Well, there are no magic strategies. There are only strategies that either work or don't work -- but more important is the DISCIPLINE to actually make the good ones work.
People generally don't understand nor believe me when I say that it's the simplest of things that makes you successful. The key to success in any field is DISCIPLINE.
Have you seen The Biggest Loser TV show where a group of "weight challenged" people are placed in a ranch to lose weight? This show fascinates me. The winners, the ones who lost the most weight, all have one thing in common: They are better at discipline.
Of course, they had discipline forced upon them. A camera on you all day long in a setting where you have only one goal helps-and not to mention trainers and coaches all around you.
But several years ago, I was involved in a charitable fundraising mission for leukemia research. Part of the involvement was running a marathon, which my husband, the athlete, was prepared to do. I was going to handle other fundraising tasks. But when we showed up for our first meeting, the trainer told us that we all had to run. What?! I wasn't a runner. I never ran a mile in my life. And this lunatic expected me to run 26 miles? Ha!
But my ego got the best of me and I couldn't resist the challenge. So I began training. And did I ever train! I didn't miss a day because I was "tired" or "didn't feel well." I forced myself to get out there and run, no matter how I felt.
I didn't have trainers and coaches all around me, nor a ranch setting to focus me on my training. I still had to work and fit the training in on my own schedule. But I did it. And I ran the marathon. And even after that first marathon was long over I had the skills to do it again -- and I did it three times. For someone who didn't even like to run look at what discipline did for me.
Doing something consistently even if you don't "feel" like doing it is the true definition of discipline. You may not "feel" your plan is working, but if it's a good plan, discipline will make it work. It's not necessarily what you're doing, it's the discipline to do it.
For example, the quickest way for people to be successful in real estate is to work with a database of a certain group of people-to be in touch with them on a regular basis. This takes discipline, especially when you're not seeing immediate results.
Most business people don't do things consistently for a variety of reasons. They may implement a "strategy," their phone doesn't start to ring of the hook within 24 hours, and they quit-placing the blame on the strategy itself. Or they may begin to implement a strategy, but soon realize they didn't budget enough for the time to make it work. Or they start, but just get plain old lazy.
Whenever anyone asks me the secret to my own success I reply, "The discipline to make a plan, to make a decision this is the action I need to take, and to execute it on a consistent basis."
Perfect example: A weekly newsletter. You receive one in your e-mail box every single week. That takes discipline. What if I missed a week here and there? What if you got three in one week and then didn't hear from me for a month? I'd appear a bit flaky, wouldn't I? No, you get it every Thursday right on time. When I'm going to be out of town or on vacation, I have to plan in advance to have those newsletters ready to be sent while I'm gone.
What discipline are you lacking? Is it getting your monthly mailers out to your clients? Is it finally finishing those things that you need to get done? Is it following up with clients you've already spoken to? Is it learning the MLS better? Whatever it is, resolve to become a true "Master of Discipline" and do it.
"But Denise, I've been implementing a strategy for weeks, and I'm seeing no results. Should I go on throwing money and time at this forever?"
Certainly not. That's when you need advice. You may have a stupid plan, and you need someone to tell you it's a stupid plan. The wisdom of a more experienced agent or mentor could be your saving grace. Don't be afraid to ask. People love to share advice.
Discipline is truly the secret to success in anything. Make good friends with it and commit yourself to it. It will pay you well.
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