Celebrate Your Wins
When I first started in the mortgage business in 2006, it was a different world in a lot of ways. I didn't have a 'business', I had leads. 10/day, which turned into 50/week, which turned into 200/month. Leads about as cold as they come. A name, and a phone number, and that's it! All I knew was the people were shopping (potentially, the data wasn't as good back then) for a mortgage.
We didn't have LO compensation rules that forced us to charge the most difficult and easiest file the same price. We didn't have CRMs, data systems, automated systems to provide customers on-demand info. We had phones, paper applications, fax machines, and we were getting started with email. Another thing that was different was that we celebrated. I was in an office of 4 loan officers and a branch manager, and as the office's top producer (doing an astounding 2 loans/month on average!), I had a lot to celebrate. We'd toast to our closings, congratulate each other on new applications. Every win was a big win, because we were just getting started.
You've probably seen the "dollar on the wall" that many businesses have, their first dollar made. It's something to remember. It's a huge milestone, but it's just a buck. Where along the way does that buck become less exciting?
A few years back, after I was already established and regularly closing loans, and had an assistant that would merrily come into the office for high fives and congratulations every time an application was taken or a loan closed. At this point, we were doing a decent amount of business, and the 'small wins' were no longer celebrated. We moved on to celebrations reserved for huge months, personal bests, and record setting deals.
Now, in primarily a management role but still managing some personal production, the celebrations have moved to big years, record setting months for the team, onboarding successful new teams, and gaining market share. But there's hardly a mention of closed loans, applications taken, or "smaller" metrics we used to celebrate. But why? Well, because I think we've been doing it wrong.
I'm writing and sharing this because maybe you've done the same - have you been in the business so long that a closing, a new relationship, a new contract accepted, have lost their luster some? Have you stopped celebrating the little things that (at the end of the day) are really the big things? If so, join me in turning the clock back to getting excited for those "small things". The new customer. Each closing. Each positive review or testimonial. We may have teams, tons of responsibilities, and other things that demand our time and focus, but as we move on to bigger things, it's important to find joy in the smaller moments and building blocks, or as my favorite author writes, "to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life".
Did you close a deal this week? Celebrate! Meet a new client and had a good meeting? Celebrate! Got a contract accepted? Celebrate (and in this market, pour yourself a drink and take a deep breath because you made it!)! For a few years, my focus got so broad that I forgot to take in the little wins along the way. Thankfully, I recognized it before too long. I know many people that go their entire careers never being thankful and grateful for the wins along the way. I don't want to be that guy. I'm sure you don't either, so remember to stop, smell the roses, and celebrate your small wins and your progress toward where you want to be!
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