Live
"You’ve got to find what you love."
"...Live like you are hungry everyday." Steve Jobs, CEO, Apple Computer
Work fills a large part of your life. To be truly satisfied you must strive to do great work. Notice I didn’t say, good work or okay work – great work. At the end of the year did you evaluate yourself, the entrepreneur that you are, and give yourself a grade? Was it an A, A+? Don’t settle for less…we know our clients won’t settle for less.
Live today as if it is the last day of your life. I am sure if this were truly a fact, we would not be spending our time driving people around and listening to their issues, concerns, hopes, and dreams. If we lived our lives that way the client would believe we were the most compassionate, listening agent on the face of the planet and the referrals would flood in. The #1 reason we lose a client or we don’t get their repeat business is because they believe "the agent just didn’t seem interested in us".
Living your passion is about doing what you love so you never have to "seriously" work. It has nothing to do with making more money or living in a nicer home. Look around the rooms of our luncheons and the breakfasts we attend with other real estate agents. The room is full of attendees who are "aging in place." The "place" is their job or their career in real estate. They love what they do and they have a passion for the challenge. Dallas Real Estate Broker Ebby Halliday, is still working at 98 years old. She is not so much working as she is enjoying her passion.
One last consideration on living your job to its maximum involves attitude. We have always heard that attitude is more important than aptitude but do we practice it? New people do. They dress and act the part, until they have the aptitude. This is why a new hungry person can come into an existing territory with a lot of passion as their weapon and conquer the territory. Attitude is 99% of the earned success; success is earned, not given.
General MacArthur, leader of our troops in WWII, had the right attitude. “We are not retreating - we are advancing in another direction.”
If your territory is not working for you successfully, advance in another direction.
Laugh
Let's not take ourselves too seriously! Be happy with yourself; always wear a smile even when you don’t feel like smiling.
Here are some facts that will make you smile:
- In 1899, Charles Duells, commissioner of the US Patent Office, stated, "Everything that can be invented, has been invented."
- In 1962, Decca Recording Company said upon rejecting the Beatles said, "We don’t like their sound and guitar music is on the way out."
- In 1977, Ken Olson, president and founder of Digital Equipment Corp said, "There is no reason why anyone would want a computer in their home!"
If those didn’t make you chuckle, Fred Metzsche said: "Woman was God’s second mistake."
Love Your Job
The number 1 most envied, sought after career in the US is real estate broker/associate. Everyone else wants it for one thing, you are living the dream.
I started out with an education degree from FSU. I taught in the public school system for only 2 years before becoming a real estate agent in Texas. I received a call one Friday to teach a real estate course the following week at a local community college. I loved it. I dressed the part; I had passion for what I was teaching. I found out what it took to have a real estate school. I checked out the competition in the area and then the state. I made and implemented my goals. Today Champions School of Real Estate has 7 brick and mortar campuses plus an online campus. I don’t have a job. I have a passion, a hobby and a love all rolled into one. The business and the success and awards given to me personally are secondary to the reward of living my passion. I love helping others and expect from myself to live each day, doing great work.
Loving your job can be achieved by:
- Helping others achieve their goals – what can I do to make this transaction more successful?
- Be a credit to your industry by volunteering– it helps you to achieve greatness as well. (Martha Turner Properties is always in the news in Houston because they are involved in doing good deeds through volunteerism.)
- Always speak positively. A true salesperson never wants to be around a negative person, they remove themselves from that person immediately. Clients will do the same.
- Don’t talk negatively about others. If you have someone who is a negative force in your life, move yourself away from that negative force.
- Be generous. When you give, you receive more than you gave.
Live Your Passion, Laugh A Lot, Stay Hungry, Love Your Job, Do Great Works. It worked for Steve Jobs, and it works for me and you.
I think Ben Franklin sums it up best: "Well done is better than well said."
