I recently participated in a military simulation of a fictitious air strike. With a group of 16 participants, including 3 generals, one assistant, one weatherman, we went to work determining how to eliminate our target. Our Mission: To destroy #6 of 6 targets. I was the "Ace" in charge. We were given one hour to accomplish our mission.
After getting the remaining participants to tell me what their part was in the mission, I determined that I had one aerial plane, one radar plane (AWACS - I think it's called), one tanker plane full of fuel, the remaining were different types of fighter jets with the ability to accomplish different missions in certain weather conditions.
I had my assistant start keeping track of different planes - while I had one general keep telling me we needed first to wipe out the radar. The weatherman kept changing the weather on me every 20 minutes, - which made us lose a plane and ammunition. I finally sent the the aerial plane and the AWACS up to get into place.
Halfway through the simulation a "big light" came on! I wasn't focused on our mission. I was losing! I immediately had my assistant draw an excel spreadsheet on the board and we determined what each plane was capable of doing in order. We finally were able to eliminate all but target #5. However, in our chaos, we lost a plane due to our neglect of sending up the tanker.
We were successful with our mission - but we could have saved the plane. We also went overboard, eliminating more targets than we needed to accomplish- our mission was only to eliminate target #6.
Lessen Learned: I lost track of what my mission really was: To eliminate target #6.
Is your real estate career like the lesson I've just learned? Do you constantly have to step back and reevaluate what you are doing to accomplish your mission. What is it going to take to meet your goals?
1) Identify your mission. My mission is to retire at age 70 with enough assets to enjoy the rest of my life and to leave behind a business that I can pass on.
2) Determine your assets. What is it going to take to reach your goals.
3) Factor in for changing market conditions. We all know with the changing market, we need to change the way we're selling real estate.
4) Prepare yourself to have the energy to accomplish your goals. Take vacations. They don't have to be far away - just far enough to get away from real estate long enough to refuel.
5) Stay focused on your mission. Deligate, deligate, deligate. If you don't, you'll tend to try to accomplish more than you are capable of doing without help. 
Finally, put your plan of action into effect. Fear of success keeps us from accomplishing our mission.
"We Have Nothing To Fear, But Fear Itself! Franklin D Roosevelt
Have you reached your full potential?
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