In my last piece, I wrote about the “Big Why.”
Let’s say we’ve found our why.
What then?
I think this is where the slightly uncomfortable part begins:
How big a life do we think we deserve?
For years I’ve worked with a great many real estate agents. And I’ve seen this again and again:
The biggest obstacle in front of people isn’t always the market, interest rates, competitors or a lack of clients.
Sometimes the biggest obstacle is the ceiling they’ve set for themselves.
“Two sales a month would be enough for me.”
“I can’t build a team.”
“I can’t work in that area.”
“I don’t have that kind of network.”
“I’m not a salesperson anyway.”
Notice that most of these aren’t real.
They’re stories we’ve told ourselves so many times over the years that we’ve come to believe them.
The funny part is this:
When people reach the limit they set themselves, they turn around and say,
“See, I told you so.”
:)
In The Millionaire Real Estate Agent there’s an approach I really like. It describes people operating at different levels of thinking: “nothing is possible,” “some things are possible” and “anything is possible.”
But the book also makes a very important distinction:
Believing that something is possible isn’t enough on its own.
Results start to change when the Big Why, the Big Goal and action come together. (The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, p. 79)
To me, that’s one of the most beautiful things about being a real estate agent.
This profession doesn’t put a ceiling on you from the start.
Nobody comes up to you and says:
“Neşet, this is your capacity. You can’t do more than this.”
Most of the time, we’re the ones who say that to ourselves.
A new agent can start today with zero listings.
They might have a few hundred people in their phone contacts.
They might fumble their way through their first meeting.
They might even get into their car after that first client meeting and ask themselves:
“What did I just do?”
:)
None of this decides where they’ll be three years from now.
Because over the years, this profession has taught me this:
Your level today isn’t your potential. It’s just your level today.
But here we need to tell “thinking big” apart from daydreaming.
“I’m going to make 100 sales this year.”
Great.
How?
How many people will you talk to?
How many appointments will you set?
How many listings do you need?
What work will you repeat every single day?
This is where a dream and a goal part ways.
The Millionaire Real Estate Agent also says that big goals require big models, and that executing the plan has to sit at the centre of your focus. (The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, p. 292)
I believe that too.
Think big. But then break your big goal down into small daily tasks.
Because careers don’t change with one big decision made one morning; they change with the small things done on the hundreds of mornings that follow it.
And if someone thinking about becoming a real estate agent is reading this, I’d like to tell them this too:
Not knowing this work today doesn’t mean you can’t do it.
Sales can be learned.
Client meetings can be learned.
Presenting a listing can be learned.
Negotiating can be learned.
Even hanging up after a “no” and calling the next person without losing heart can be learned.
But first you need to give yourself this permission:
“I can become more than the person I am today.”
Maybe the whole story really does begin with that sentence.
“Don’t settle for a small life. Think big; then start doing today the work that life requires.” — Neşet Birlik
If you’re in professional life and sometimes wonder, “Could I become a real estate agent?”, you can try the short test we’ve prepared.
You might notice some strengths in yourself that you haven’t used yet. :)
Could I Become a Real Estate Agent? https://www.kwavo.net/
To get to know me and my work better: https://nesetbirlik.com/