I was talking to a fellow athlete this morning after our workouts.  She commented on how different my training has been lately.  I told her I was in a building phase right now so I could endure more intensity later.  She said she never follows a detailed plan because it would take a lot of the fun out of it.  She told me she listens to her body and makes workout decisions based on her "gut".

Later I got to thinking about this conversation and how universal her message.  I have met a great many people in the Real Estate business who follow the same "I listen to my instincts" plan.  Likewise, I have coached a great many clients for whom a mortgage was a "gut" decision rather than an integral part of their long term financial health.  Like her - she is a top competitive athlete in her own right - these agents and clients have achieved some success due to hard work, natural ability and, lately, low rates.  But just how far can one go without a solid, logical plan in place?

Building a career is no different than building your finances; you need a plan with at least the basic steps if you wish to attain a lofty goal.  First and foremost is having the goal itself.  Once that is selected and made S.M.A.R.T. you must create a plan that builds toward the goal.  The first step is always to build your base.  That base should be strong enough to support the project you are going to build on it.  Once you have built your base you can work on closely related strength building exercises that extend your reach and solidify your upward movement.  Finally, you "peak" with a few short, specific steps designed to put you over the top.  If you try working on the related strength steps before you have a base, you are likely to injure yourself or your business.  Without the base and strength in place it is almost impossible to line yourself up for the final, high intensity steps that put you over the top.

Whether you are striving to make the Olympic team, becoming a champion Real Estate agent or working on a gold medal in your own financial games, you need to make sure you have a plan in place.  Otherwise, you may enjoy the spontaneity of listening to your instinct but you are likely to enjoy the championship from the sidelines.