I grew up playing or I should say practicing to become a solo violinist when I was a kid.  To be honest I enjoyed just being a kid rather than devoting my time and my life to this possible future career.  But it got me thinking.  To be the best musician - whether you want to be a concert pianist, violinist, the best lead guitar player, etc, requires an incredible amount of drive and discipline.

So what do real estate and music have in common?

1) Discipline:  Just like the concert pianist, building a real estate career or business takes the same amount of discipline.  You build it one day at a time, one client at a time, searching for new clients- building your pipeline and of course keeping in touch with past clients too.  If you stop - just like the musician - you get sloppy and you have a set back.  So you need to stay on that trajectory no matter what.

2) Focus: Just like musicians who need to be focused to become the best - so do real estate agents.  We need to have a path to follow and stay on that path to greatness.  Knowing what areas need improvement and once we get there knowing where else to turn.

3) Commitment: There are days when a musician wants to just pack it up.  But in order to become great she knows she must set aside time every single day to practice her technique.  Real estate isn't much different.  Although we deserve breaks and vacations from time to time.  It's the commitment of staying in the game and completing your to do list, even when you don't feel like it, that gets us the business.

4) Practice: The act of doing for a musician.  Playing your scales over an over again or playing your concert piece till your blue in the face or until your neighbor is ready to beat you over the repetition.  So when you finally are in front of the crowd the music just naturally flows out of you. As real estate agents we need to constantly practice how we communicate to sellers and buyers during the initial introduction, listing or buyers presentation, how to address objections and more.  So when we're in the thick of it - these actions and responses just seem natural.

5) Belief: Certain musicians are phenomenal because they always believed they were.  It helped drive them to be great.  We need to believe we are the best agent out there to help our current and future clients, that even in this down market we shall overcome.  Believe in yourself.  And you will reach greatness.

6) Drive: Musicians have the drive to succeed.  Drive is the fuel that keeps them focused, committed and provides the discipline to reach beyond their wildest dreams.  That drive is the feeling they feel after an incredible concert, the screaming of the crowd the recognition they receive for a job well done.  They visualize this every day.  What is your drive?  What is your fuel that gets you motivated to knock on an extra door, to practice how you communicate to buyers and sellers, to keep your ears and eyes open for potential new business and to follow up with future clients.  Is it the time you spend with your kids?  Is it the satisfaction of a job well done.  Is it the idea that your building wealth and security for you and your family?  What ever it is.  Hang on to that vision.  It will get you out of bed every day.

Have the drive to be great.  Practice, Practice, Practice.  Be disciplined in your actions.  Committed to the end result.  Focused on the outcome.  And more importantly Belive in yourself.

Edit: Thanks to Borino we'll add one more item and thats.......PASSION:  We must have the passion to do what we do.  It's hard work out there and if you don't love this business enough - same with music - you won't get very far.  I love music, but I wasn't cut out to be a musician.  I believe I'm cut out to be a wildly successful real estate agent.  How about YOU?

Copyright 2009 Jessica Bigger. All Rights Reserved. *What Do Real Estate Agents and Musicians Have In Common?*