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Monday Motivation - Stop preparing

By John Meussner

Mortgage and Lending with Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI NMLS #138061 MMCD #1141

February 10, 2014 08:20 AM

Monday Motivation - A new blog post each week intended to inspire & motivate. Hope your week's off to a great start!

"We are always getting ready to live, but never living"

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I've got no problem living. At 29, I've done more craziness & have seen more things than many people have the opportunity to in their lifetime. Life comes easy to me most times, but in my business, I have a preparation problem. Not a problem where I do things half-assed or don't prepare enough. My problem is the polar opposite - I tend to be a perfectionist.

I don't believe in doing things half-assed, but I have too much belief in things being more than half-done. In reality, everything we do doesn't have to be perfect. Sometimes (more precisely, most times) 'good enough' is good enough, and 'good enough' is ALWAYS better than not yet started.

For me, there are 3 things I've been perfecting over the past couple of months, and all of my preparation and planning for them has gotten me absolutely nowhere. A new marketing program for business partners, my website updates, and a new marketing campaign are all 'good enough' but I've been holding back because they're not yet perfect.

Well, enough of that. This week will be about implementing. All 3 of the things I mentioned above will be live by the end of the week, and none of them will be perfect. For my 'Monday motivation' this week, I invite you to join me in this mindset. Hopefully many of you reading this don't have a 'perfectionist' problem, but for those that do, I invite you to share with the world all that you have 'half-done'. What you've been planning and preparing, I invite you to share and get out there. There will be plenty of time to perfect things along the way, but why not join me in getting started?

Starting today, let's stop getting ready, and start getting things in motion. In a few months, I'm sure we'll laugh looking back, wondering why in the world it took us so long to get started.

photo from Wikipedia

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Gita Bantwal

RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA

REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

John, Good luck in achieving your goals . I love the inspirational quote.

Feb 10, 2014 07:58 PM

Frank Iglesias

Working With Houses, LLC - Atlanta Real Estate Investments - Lawrenceville, GA

Atlanta, GA Real Estate Investor

I love to read such meaningful quotes...

Looking forward for your next Monday post...

Good luck, John!

Feb 10, 2014 08:36 PM

Wayne Zuhl

Remax First Realty II - Cranford, NJ

The Last Name You'll Ever Need in Real Estate

John,

Excellent post and a GREAT quote! So often we get caught up in the small stuff we forget to stop and smell the roses.

Feb 10, 2014 10:39 PM

John Meussner

Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA

#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

Anita - thank you, you should join me in hatching your not-yet-ready ideas, or at least don't wait til they're perfect ; )

Debbie - that's great advice to set deadlines, it's always tough when something should be done but doesn't HAVE to be done.

Chris Ann - I'm definitely not the type to sit on stuff, I like to implement things and put them to practice, but these projects have so many moving parts they've had me brainstorming for far too long.

Grant - thanks, and I agree, 'paralysis of analysis' is a big problem that I'm getting over.

Michelle - good job, I'm also a fan of to-do lists and knock one out each day. It's the projects that take weeks to get done I have trouble with.

Lou - thanks so much & hope your week is also filled with success.

David - not there yet! I've got a few mountains to climb and some sharks to swim with before I hit 30, so we'll see if I make it! But yes, just simply implementing rather than perfecting is the way I need to go.

Joe - I don't believe in business planning either, outside of setting quarterly goals, but I like your approach. I've always believed in the golden rule, and it seems you've got it down.

Gita - thank you! I hope you have a fantastic week.

Frank - thank you, I roll something out every Monday, thanks for reading & the comment!

Wayne/Jean - yes, stopping to make sure we're enjoying the ride is so important and often overlooked. Have a great week!

Feb 11, 2014 02:50 AM

Potranco Realty

Potranco Realty - San Antonio, TX

"Sold with Potranco Realty"

John, I 100% agree with you about not being perfect, I too struggle with perfection and we all know there is only one perfection and to me that is God and his Son Jesus, to each their own beliefs....right? I say yes let's put things in motion....

Great motivation blog, and your still such a young man.... wait until you hit my age....lol

Feb 11, 2014 04:30 AM

Donna Foerster

HomeSmart Realty Group - Parker, CO

Metro Denver Real Estate Assistant

Oh John! This is definitely an issue with me. I tend to over plan and never implement. Not a good thing at all. I'm happy to join you and jump in with both feet (which I'm really not afraid to do).

I think this warrants its own post. Watch my blog!

Feb 11, 2014 07:09 AM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

John- I agree with you ... sometimes "good enough" is just that. And, yes, it's certainly better than not getting started. You've motivated me to finish something I've been working on for my presentations.

Feb 11, 2014 10:27 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

I'm a perfectionist, but I still seem to get things done....maybe at the expense of other things....but I get there. If I'm really involved in a project, there's no stopping me. I can't think of anything that's in the planning stages right now....I have an idea and I jump into action. You have me wondering now, if there's something I'm missing, LOL!

Feb 12, 2014 08:19 AM

Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist

KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA

Probate Real Estate Services

John, You have just described me ... and what I do. Wanting things to be perfect but perfect does not exist in the real world ... it only exists in our minds. I've been busy with many projects ... some are now finally going live.

Feb 12, 2014 11:26 AM

Bob Crane

Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI

Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Hi John, cant believe that it is late Wednesday and I am just checking in on your Monday Motivation.

I have to admit that I am guilty of spending too much time preparing and not enough time doing and living. At this age I do realize that for some things it is too late and for others I need to start immediately.

Feb 12, 2014 12:41 PM

Kathy Streib

Cypress, TX

Home Stager/Redesign

Feb 15, 2014 10:15 AM

Beth and Richard Witt

New York, NY

The best Retired Brokers !!!!

Nice post... Thanks to Kathy I got to come over and enjoy... As a Broker for the past 35 years I can tell you that most folks are GETTING READY... leaving a lot of room for those of us that are doing... Beth

Feb 15, 2014 08:40 PM

Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV

Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA

Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

John, I think this business probably draws a lot of perfectionsits since so many of us are type A personalities. You've got a good point. We could certainly accomplish more if we would just get moving.

Feb 15, 2014 09:49 PM

Brian Rugg

Rugg Realty LLC Sun City Texas 512-818-6700 - Georgetown, TX

Sun City TX Real Estate - Georgetown, TX Real Est

Hello John:

Finding the right balance is tough, but necessary. I finally had to push a new web site out the door and get it working before every i was dotted and t crossed. I'm glad I did.

Feb 15, 2014 11:28 PM

Jeff Stevens

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New Mexico Properties - Las Cruces, NM

Jeff Stevens, Associate Broker/REALTOR

John - I'm guilty as well. I have learned to let go of certain projects and label them "done". There is simply not enough time in the day. Enjoyed reading your post.

Feb 16, 2014 02:08 AM

Pamela Seley

West Coast Realty Division - Murrieta, CA

Residential Real Estate Agent serving SW RivCo CA

John, I used to be guilty of perfectionism. Now I have learned there is value in procrastination.

Feb 16, 2014 03:28 AM

Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL

Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

And there is value in procrastination. And balancing perfectionism with rushing is an art few of us have

Feb 16, 2014 01:07 PM

Dixon Disu

Real Estate One Ltd. - Warwick, RI

A Realtor Looking Out For Your Best Interest.

Thanks for the post, just the right nudge I needed to get me out of the rut and back on track. I've been compiling what I call a "master list" and meanwhile procrastinating on actually working on it. Sometimes we get carried away on prepping to the detriment of real action.

Feb 16, 2014 10:52 PM

John Meussner

Mortgages in AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IN, MD, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NV, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI - Fair Oaks, CA

#MortgageMadeEasy Fair Oaks, CA 484-680-4852

Thanks everyone for reading & all of the comments, glad I'm not the only one that sometimes has this problem, and hopefully we can all get moving on things that need to get done. I finished up 2 of 3 (2 out of 3 ain't bad, right?). Hopefully I'll have the 3rd knocked out soon.

Feb 17, 2014 05:04 AM

Cathy Wolters

Wolters Realty & Property Management Company - Cocoa, FL

Your Brevard County Property Management Expert

Great post, this is really true for me also. I love the quote about always getting ready to live, but never living. That really hit home for me.

Feb 18, 2014 07:50 AM