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Grow Into The Pro You Were Destined To Be

By Gary Woltal

Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty 0575737

August 25, 2008 04:54 PM

Horse Jumper As REALTORS or whatever we decide to excel at in our lives, know that we don't "arrive" at the best in our craft without some work. So

Grow Into The Pro You Were Destined To Be

1. Unconscious Incompetent - at first you don't even know how bad you are. This could be considered pathetic at this talent level, but since you are unconscious you feel great.

2. Conscious Incompetent - now you've wised up and are wondering if this field is for you or you should bail. If you stick it out, with practice and education you may head toward being competent.

3. Conscious Competent - Now you know what you are doing. People somewhat expect that you sort of know what you are doing. But you are really going through the motions and can improve much more.

4. Unconscious Competent - You have become the master. You are polished. You the rider, and your horse, your craft are in synch. You can feel that you are on the top of your game. Not that you don't continue working on yourself. But as Tiger Woods says, "You've brought your A game today."

Strive to be the best at what you do. It is challenging, but you will inspire others with your devotion and skill.

Remember the world needs your best.

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Neal Bloom

Brokered by eXp Realty LLC - Weston, FL

Realtor CRS-Weston FL Real Estate

It's hard for some to try to be the best when things are slow but if you give up now then you won't be one of the ones left standing.

Aug 25, 2008 11:52 PM

Susan Mangigian

RE/MAX Preferred - West Chester, PA

Chester & Delaware County Homes, Delaware and Ches

This is great. I like to think that in real estate I am in the unconscious competent stage, at least about most things after 23 years! I took a course once that said we all know what we know. We also have an idea of what we don't know. I know I don't know anything about brain surgery, for instance. But there's a whole world out there filled with things that I don't know that I don't know about! Food for thought!

Aug 26, 2008 12:03 AM

Kim Southern- "Sold" with Southern Hospitality

Century 21 In the Mountains - Ellijay, GA

Greetings from the North Georgia Mountains!

I think the landscape is shifting rather quickly in this business. You HAVE to bring your A-game if you hope to be successful. And that, as Martha Stewart would say, is a good thing.

Aug 26, 2008 12:37 AM

Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Mark: Glad to help Mark.

Jennifer: It takes work but it is good to be at the top of your profession skill wise.

Howdy Liz: Nice to know you had seen these principles before.

Lenn: You are right. I think being a broker you should know most all of the answers to train the salespeople up.

Laura: Always shoot for the best!!

Donna: Very true, that our clients deserve absolutely the best from us.

Hello Neal: Stick with it, continuing to be the best even during slower times, and you will be left standing.

Hi Susan: I know you are one of the ones at the top of your game with your experience. There is a lot to learn out there, oftentimes even unknown at first until we discover it. You Susan could easily be a brain surgeon as smart as you are.

Kim: The top ones will be the ones that survive as things continually change.

Aug 26, 2008 12:59 AM

Barbara Carter

Century 21 Alliance Realty Group - Highland, NY

Serving Your Real Estate Needs in the Hudson Valle

Gary- Great view on the progression to "the A" game- Once we reach it to the Unconscious Competent stage- we have to keep striving to be better

Aug 26, 2008 01:04 AM

Jeremy Blanton

Myrtle Beach Homes Blog - Myrtle Beach, SC

Myrtle Beach REALTOR®- myrtlebeachhomesblog.com

I think I have finally come from #1 on Activerain...now I push towards #3 & then #4!

Aug 26, 2008 01:09 AM

Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Barbara: We never stop learning that is for sure.

Jeremy: You are doing great and getting better every day.

Aug 26, 2008 01:11 AM

Debbie Summers

Charles Rutenberg Realty - New Smyrna Beach, FL

Gary... I love this post and remember when I hit "stage 2"... You really do need to bring your "A" game each and every day... Thank you!

Aug 26, 2008 01:37 AM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

The more things I learn, the less I know (or at my age, remember). I don't know if we ever become the master of any profession because things continually change. When people call me an expert, I scoff. I'm not an expert; I'm just somebody who loves what she does for a living and keeps on doing it.

Aug 26, 2008 05:20 AM

Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Debbie: Even at the highest level we have to keep working on ourselves. But it is a very good feeling to sit back and "know" you are the tops at something.

Elizabeth: The difference though, is you WANT to be the best. As long as you have that desire even though we may not be the "perfect" expert we are darn near close to it. We are a pro at what we do. It is a good feeling to reach that level. You just know you're bringing the best to it each day.

Aug 26, 2008 05:44 AM

Patricia Kennedy

RLAH@properties - Washington, DC

Home in the Capital

Gary, I like to think of FSBO's as unconsious incompetents! Talk about don't know what you don't know!

Aug 26, 2008 06:41 AM

Chris Ann Cleland

Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA

Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Gary: Your first category, Unconscious Incompetent is cracking me up. I know so many who resemble this...sadly...after years in the business.

Aug 26, 2008 11:17 AM

Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Patricia: FSBOs as unconscious incompetents. The do it yourselfer can get themselves in trouble fast many times for sure.

Chris Ann: Now agents in the business many years as unconscious incompetents, that is truly running a business as a "hobby."

Aug 26, 2008 11:38 AM

Elizabeth Cooper-Golden

Huntsville Alabama Real Estate, (@ Homes Realty Group) - Huntsville, AL

Huntsville AL MLS

Gary, I loved each and every description, but my favorite was the unconscious competent. I strive to be that and occasionally pull it off, lol. We should all be our best and do our best. Otherwise, why "do it"?

Aug 26, 2008 12:10 PM

Fran Gaspari

Patriot Land Transfer, Inc. - Limerick, PA

"The Title Man" - Title Insurance - PA & NJ

Gary,

My experience supports this theory: "The Peter Principle is the principle that "In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence." Still alive and well today...and 'working'...! Thanks, Fran

Aug 26, 2008 01:05 PM

Tracy Santrock

Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Fabulous post Gary! My dad is a psychologist in Dallas and you're right there w/his synopsis. Wonderful recommendations.

Aug 26, 2008 01:11 PM

Fred Carver Real Estate Consulant

Retired BC Realtor - Victoria, BC

Accredited Real Estate Consultant

Hi Gary...another Great Post, Love your horse photo.

Thanks for sharing!

Aug 26, 2008 01:29 PM

Sondra Meyer:

EXP Realty, LLC - Corpus Christi, TX

See It. Experience It. Live It.

Gary, I loved the progression that you described here - in very creative terms. Before, I got to the end, I did find myself comparing what you were saying to the stages to a person learning to ride a horse. Hopefully, we all seek to attain the unconscious competent stage in all that we do - whether it is real estate, equestrian activities, golf, painting, or even driving a car.

Aug 26, 2008 02:23 PM

Gary Woltal

Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX

Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Elizabeth: Yes, I agree we all want to get to where we are best at our game. And we can do it. Just practice and work at it and you finally know when you're there.

Fran: The incompetence level is when we go that one level "past" where we were really good and can't handle it anymore.

Tracy: Glad you've heard of these little progressions from your Dad before.

Fred: I thought this one with the horse was good because at the elite level horse and rider become one.

Hi Sondra: I liked the equestrian progression as well. You have the beginner riders and then like in Olympic Hunter Jumper that very highest and the best where the rider and the animal are one. We share that understanding with horses. It would be great to be at the top with horsemanship, but it takes years and years of practice.

Aug 26, 2008 02:47 PM

Renae Bolton

Marketing 4 Realtors - Garfield Heights, OH

I'm your Professional Real Estate Marketing VA!

I love the progression you noted. It makes absolute sense, too! I love being in the "unconscious competent" phase as it means "You Have Arrived!" It means you've put all the hard work and effort into something and have reached a goal. No, you can't now sit back and just soak it all in because you have to keep working to maintain but you CAN look back and see just how far you've come! Thanks for this, Gary!

~Renae

Aug 27, 2008 12:29 AM