Special offer

IGNORING THE GREMLINS

By
Services for Real Estate Pros

 Gremlin

“The biggest challenge in business and being an entrepreneur is not the competition, it’s what goes on inside your own head.” –Barbara Corcoran

I’m a big fan of Barbara Corcoran. And she does have some great – and simple – pearls of wisdom to share. This is one of those.

With my coaching clients I often refer to those “voices in our heads” as our “gremlins”; those little creatures who tell us we are not good enough, instill those feelings of self doubt, and block our ability to move ourselves forward. What’s important to understand is that for any business owner or entrepreneur, particularly the real estate professional, the very nature of our business – the solitude – results in our listening to our gremlin more than to our true self.

You know what those gremlins are always shouting at you: “You’re never going to be successful.” “That other agent is so much better than you.” “You can’t make enough money.” “You’re not going to get this listing.” And so on.

Sometimes, we can trace a particular gremlin to a particular incident or client. Sometimes, it only takes one really negative experience and before you know it, your gremlin is telling you that every experience is going to be just as bad.

The first step in banishing the gremlins from your head is recognizing them. When you start to have those negative, self-doubting, I’m-not-good-enough thoughts, remind yourself that your gremlin is hard at work convincing you of these things. Some of my clients find it helpful to give their gremlin a name, any name. And then when that gremlin starts shouting into your ear, call it by its name and tell it to take a hike!

Christi Farrington
Dagny's Real Estate - Wilton, CT
~ Your representative in Fairfield County, CT

Love the 'take a hike' statement.  Yes, solitude and over-thinking; not a good combination!  Thank you for the reminder!

Nov 10, 2014 03:39 AM
John DL Arendsen
CREST "BACKYARD' HOMES, ON THE LEVEL General & Manufactured Home Contractor, TAG Real Estate Sales & Investments - Leucadia, CA
Crest Backyard Homes "ADU" dealer & RE Developer

Pauline Donnelly Unfortunately we all have our gremlins in one form or another. At my station in life when my gremlins start rearing their ugly heads I stop what I'm doing and go for a surf, bike ride or long walk on the beach. It's amazing how that soothes what ails ya and gets you back up on that pony once again.

Nov 10, 2014 04:09 AM
Rob Arnold
Sand Dollar Realty Group, Inc. - Altamonte Springs, FL
Metro Orlando Full Service - Investor Friendly & F

The big key is recognizing those gremlins and quickly putting them in their place.  Not an easy task for most people to do. 

Nov 10, 2014 06:51 AM
Holly Weatherwax
Associate Broker, Momentum Realty - Reston, VA
A Great Real Estate Experience

Great post. Like John (above), I find getting outdoors or hitting the gym gets me out of my own head and back on track!

Nov 10, 2014 07:17 AM
Kimo Jarrett
Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA
Pro Lifestyle Solutions

There's a big difference between being fearless and confident and simply being lazy because of one's comfortable lifestyle. 

Nov 10, 2014 07:25 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

And never feed those gremlins after midnight. Middle of the night "fears" can also affect the next day. Keep them all out of your head.

Nov 10, 2014 07:30 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Pauline,

It is good to remember that in sales, you get about 24 "no" answers for every "yes." With statistics, the stinker is that they do not come in even intervals. You could have 96 "no" answers sometimes before getting 4 "yes" answers all at once. The average is still there, but the 96 would probably make you wonder about gremlins. Better keep track to see, if you are really batting less than average or have just hit a dry spell for a moment.

Nov 10, 2014 02:15 PM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Oh yes... those voices in your head sabatoging your efforts. I've found it's a lifelong exercise exorcising those demons.

Nov 10, 2014 08:34 PM
Andrea HoffDomin
Florida Dream Homes Realty - Fort Lauderdale, FL
- in Real Estate always on your side!

I know them too but I tried to ignore them and replace them with better experiences. That works for me.

Sunny greetings from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Nov 10, 2014 08:49 PM
Liane Thomas, Top Listing Agent
Professional Realty Services® - Corona, CA
Bringing you Home!

Great advice, I will name my gremlin and then when he talks to me, ( I am SURE my gremlin is a boy), I will calmly tell him to close his lips and then toss him off my shoulder!

Nov 11, 2014 06:10 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

I agree out attitude and confidence is the biggest indicator of success.  thanks for the post.

Nov 11, 2014 06:23 AM
Sharon Parisi
United Real Estate Dallas - Dallas, TX
Dallas Homes

Pauline, this is a good post for everyone to read every day!  Gremlins can be a nuisance, if we entertain them!

Nov 11, 2014 10:15 AM