A new year, and a new you, and new goals

A new year, and a new you, and new goals.

The one thing I love about this time of year is that it marks a new beginning. New Years is a great starting block, and in some cases, it's a great start over, but regardless of what kind of start it is, make a commitment to start.

I'm a firm believer that each one of us is the master of our own destiny. The decisions we make, and the actions we take all lead us somewhere. If you ended up somewhere other than your intended destination this year, pause, reflect and figure out where your course changed that brought different results. Let me share a few things that I do that keep me in my lane.

1. I am honest with myself, and being honest with myself, I must look at life as it is, and not as I wish it to be. That means, I have to remove impediments that keep me from accomplishing my goals. 

One of my 2018 goals is to get back in great shape. I know, everyone says that this time of year, but if you don't have a plan you can commit to, you're destined to fail. The simplest way for me to remove the impediments is to replace them with resources that propel me forward rather than weigh me down.

I was a personal trainer for 13 years, a certified Spinning instructor for 16 years, a functional fitness specialist for 6 years and a level one Yoga instructor. I've cycled all over the country. So, with all of that knowledge and experience, how did I end up fat? Easy, I made excuses why I didn't have time to get to the gym. The impediment was time. I didn't have time to get up, stay up or insert an hour into my day to workout. That was the excuse, so what is the remedy?

I made sure I have exercise equipment everywhere I go. I have a gym in my basement at my home and my second home, and I have a gym in my office. That might sound a little extreme, but it removes every impediment from my list of excuses. I notice that when I'm at my second home, I always workout. When I'm home, I rarely workout. Why? It meant going somewhere. I had multiple gym memberships for decades, but somehow, I convinced myself that I didn't have time to use them, and I canceled them. Now, I have no more excuses, and I've already seen great results from my early efforts. You don't need to take my extreme actions. That's what I needed. You can accomplish great results with something as simple as a daily walk, a hike or climbing stairs. Remove impediments.

2. Be willing to lose sight of the shore. In business, and in life, comfort is the easy place to live. It is easier to sit back and wish things were different than it is to rise up and make them different.

One of the greatest feelings I've experienced in life has been to fly. When I was younger, I trained to be a bush pilot. Bush pilots are those crazy pilots who drop in at treetop level, land on a questionable landing strips and then reverse the same. It's exhilarating. 

Why would I want to do that? It was something that needed to be done, and I was willing to lose sight of the shore to do it. In business, you may have to take on a whole new marketing plan. It may mean new tools, techniques and a lot of learning. It may mean jettisoning things that don't work. Even if you've done them for decades, some things change.

One of the worst real estate marketing tools in our community is the homes guides you see at the grocery store. They are less than 2% of total sales in our community, and they are expensive. Why would you do that? Comfort. But, if comfort isn't paying the bills, you've got to change course to stay in business. Challenge yourself to lose sight of the shore this year. It might be the most exciting year of your business life. 

3. Make it a daily thing. I realize, I cannot put exercise off for the weekends. I have to do it daily. I also can't put marketing off to one day a month. I have to do it consistently. I have to explore new and more efficient ways to accomplish more. I have to investigate better techniques, better tools, better returns.

It's all part of creating a more successful path for my life and my business. I don't want to be in the same place at the end of 2018. I want to create more people jobs, invest in more philanthropic opportunities and lay a stronger foundation for my kids and grand-kids for the future. That will mean I've got to remove impediments that keep me from those goals. I need to be willing to lose sight of the shore and launch out into areas that might be unfamiliar to me today, and I've got to do it daily. 

As you contemplate 2018, I challenge you to make it the best year of your personal and professional life. It can be. It should be. It will be.

 

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3. Ten promises I make to every real estate client.

4. Winchester, VA - The best bedroom community for the Washington, D.C. area

5. Passion is contagious - Infect somebody!

6. Winchester, Virginia is a great place to buy a house at great discount!

7. This simple electrical test could save your life.

8. Turn setbacks into springboards

9. Reduce your mortgage by pre-paying principle and eliminating interest

10. What can I do to sell my home more quickly?

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Give me a call, or email me for all your real estate needs, and let's make something amazing happen. 

mikecooper@cbginc.net, 888-722-6029

Cell: 540-336-5522

 

Real Estate Sales and Property Management         

 

 

(Disclaimer:  All grammatical mistakes, punctuation breakdowns and misspellings are purely for your amusement and entertainment.   Feel free to cackle.)