Many people want to know the secret to success. In reality, there is no secret to reaching lasting success; however, if you take a hard look at your habits, you’ll see what’s holding you back from becoming more successful. Our habits—those things we do automatically every day—can either help or hinder us on our journeys to achieving our goals. While we may create goals to be more productive and generate more leads in order to be successful, our bad habits often act as barriers to reaching our goals and our true potential. What habits do the most successful people share? Here are five good habits to adopt this year.
Wake up early. Ben Franklin famously said, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” While it’s tempting to sleep in, the most successful people in business start their days with the sun, if not before. Starting your day early doesn’t necessarily mean you jump right into working. Instead, take advantage of the peace and quiet the early morning brings by doing activities that lay the groundwork for a more positive and productive day. For example, write in a journal, go for a run or hit the gym, write a personal note to a mentor or loved one, or set aside time to read. The point is to escape the frantic pace of our mornings and make it a reflective time to fortify our mindset. If you’re not a morning person, start slow and set your alarm 10 or 15 minutes earlier than usual. After a week, increase it to 20 minutes. Over time, you’ll look forward to having a quiet morning of calm reflection before you tackle the events of the day.
Prioritize. As a busy real estate professional, you’re certainly no stranger to writing a to-do list every day. However, many of us simply write down the tasks we need to do without separating the most important activities from the rest. Instead of just adding tasks to the list, prioritize it. This habit takes no more time than writing your daily list of tasks. Choose one or two tasks you have to get done each day, and when you finish those, do the next most important tasks. Not only will you get more done, but also you’ll get the most important tasks done, which will streamline your day and make your more productive.
Delegate. The more successful you become, the longer your to-do list will grow. Not every task has to be done by you. Delegate the easier but time-consuming tasks to your assistant, such as preparing and mailing your monthly marketing flyers, filing paperwork, etc. By delegating the smaller tasks, you’ll have the time and energy to focus on the tasks that drive your business.
Commit to daily personal/professional development. If you want your business to grow, grow your mind. When you improve your skills and mindset, you’ll be able to offer your clients the highest quality service. Read, attend seminars and conferences, watch positive and uplifting movies, and surround yourself with like-minded, successful people. Do something each day that helps you grow, whether you meet your mentor or coach for lunch or attend a real estate seminar every quarter.
Stay in touch. When we get busy, communicating with our clients, colleagues and loves ones often falls by the wayside. However, if you work by referral, communicating with your clients and colleagues is essential to leading a thriving business. Keeping the lines of communication open with your family and friends is vital to cultivating healthy relationships with them. No matter how busy you get, stay in touch with your clients, network, peers and family. Schedule a set time each day to catch up with correspondence, pick up the phone to check in, write a personal note or set up a time to meet for coffee or lunch. Over time, this activity will become a habit—one that will pay off in leads and solid relationships.
If you want to achieve success, it’s essential to cultivate the habits that foster it. Since habits take time to develop—especially if you’re replacing bad ones—be patient and start slow. Work on one habit at a time, and when you’ve mastered it, move to the next habit. Over time, you’ll develop good habits and achieve success.
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