New Day One: DRIVE + Passion + Urgency + Innovation + Stamina = Success
I hope you all have had a chance to read the New Day One article I posted a few weeks ago (if you haven’t you can visit it by clicking here). The main point that I wanted to convey through that article was how utterly important it is for people to feel encouraged, supported, and inspired, each and every day. I wanted to encourage all of you to become masters of your own destiny, and in my effort to provide some guidance I laid out what I believe is the recipe for success. I believe that the recipe (referenced in above this paragraph) is so paramount to the framework of our industry, and that there is so much negativity surrounding real estate, that it is important for me to extrapolate on said recipe. So, I will be focusing my next several articles, over the next several weeks, on defining each “ingredient” in the recipe individually. I hope this inspires, encourages, and ignites the fire that I know resides within all of you. So without further ado, I give you:
Success Ingredient 1: DRIVE
Without drive, who are we? Where do we begin and why? Well, to put it simply: Drive is the motivating force behind all that we do. It sets the scene for our level of success (as the more driven one is, the more likely they are to achieve their goals), and is what pushes us forward into the other 4 ingredients that make up our recipe for success. But it all has to start somewhere….
Remember when you were young and you really wanted something badly, but your parents wouldn’t buy it for you? What would you do? Would you give up, and move on? No way! You would come up with all sorts innovative solutions to ultimately get what you wanted. You didn’t think to yourself, “oh, that would’ve been nice…” You thought instead, “no, I need it, I must have it!! So what can I do to make it happen??” This same I-Want-Something-But-It’s-Not-Given-To-Me scenario can be seen in all areas of life; however in real estate it is magnified. Every morning you wake up with either the paralyzing fear or inherent motivation (it’s different for different people) which comes from the knowledge that as a Realtor you are essentially on your own. You usually don’t have someone pushing you to make a deadline, a boss sitting on your back to “get it done”, or even team of coworkers to help share the work with you. It’s you, every day, motivating and driving yourself toward success; or, conversely, falling by the wayside… And it’s your choice. Every day. Every. Single. Day. I say, choose success and choose this day to be your New Day 1.
Now, I am not saying that it’s easy. In fact the climb toward success can be a scary adventure. People are often afraid that their drive and desire just won’t be enough to get them to the top; and given that our industry has a 99% failure, this is not an unwarranted fear. However, you will never know your potential for success, without trying and giving it all that you have. With focus and drive, you have a much better chance of achieving success than you do by punching a clock somewhere, and putting your potential into someone else’s hands. It is your passion. It is your own motivation for your own success, and it belongs to no one else besides you. So the question should never be “Is it time?” but instead “Why NOT now? Why NOT today? And why NOT me?” I would bet on the driven person over the person that is being driven, every time!
I know that people are afraid of rejection, and the awkwardness and humiliation that seems to come with having your ego bruised. But let’s remember that some of the most innovative, memorable, and stand-out people that we’ve met (or heard of) were also the ones who had either no fear of rejection or were able to overcome it in order to reach their goals. I highly doubt that the 1% in this industry, those who have achieved the status that we all strive for, never faced rejection. In fact I am sure that they often found door-knocking tedious, and mass-marketing to be pointless and a waste of time. I bet they made calls that went unanswered and went days, weeks, or even months, without any signs of success. But it isn’t about those moments, it’s about what you choose to do with them. And those who have found bountiful success have turned their negatives into positives. They have chosen to focus on the infrequent good instead of the abounding negative, and to learn from what works for them and what doesn’t. They looked at every failed attempt, and every rejection, as an opportunity to refine their skills and hone their craft.
So, do not allow others to impede your motivation. Do not let the staggering numbers scare, define, or dissuade you. Instead, let your failures motivate you. Learn from your mistakes, and admit the times you have not followed through with or have fallen short of your goals. Only in doing so will you be able to find ways to keep from letting it happen again. In moments that are slow, or pulling you down, always be thinking and pushing forward. It takes a lot of drive to achieve success, but it is possible. It is all up to you. Choose you. Choose success. Choose today to be your NEW DAY 1!
After working with, and for, many different real estate firms, it became apparent to Harout that there was a major disconnect between what consumers needed/wanted and the service that was being provided to them. It was upon this realization that Harout founded and opened JohnHart Real Estate; and as the CEO/Principal Broker he has continued to break from the norm and redefine real estate with an insatiable appetite to give his clients the service and attention they deserve.
