Being in sales for many decades, I was taught by my father who was a professional salesman to not expend much time looking back to yesterday, but rather to invest time thinking forward to tomorrow. Ruminating or pondering on what might have been is a waste of time as one cannot change the past. However, thinking about what happened today and what I may change tomorrow is far more productive and important.
Today, I focus on going forward, thinking about tomorrow and not to yesterday.
A Little History
When I first considered entering the real estate industry, I expressed to my future broker, Judith Ritter, I wanted to be part-time. Well, most of us know real estate is not part time. Lesson learned within my first 30 days.
Given my sales background, I believed I would be a better buyer’s agent than listing agent. Well, again, that did not happen. I currently have 24 listings with 9 more forthcoming in the next 30 days or so. Yes, all but four currently are dirt, vacant land parcels, because I love selling dirt. I will have another residential property forthcoming as I sold this home to the current seller.
Since I am a very high “D,” low “S” and fairly high “C” per the DISC assessment, I am very much process driven along with being a problem solver. What I have learned over the years is to be flexible when it comes to any process as “things” change. Change often is quick. In real estate, each real estate transaction is different and some more so than others.
To look back eight years would does not suggest I had not made mistakes or had the ongoing learning from all the interactions I have experienced from the last eight years. My sense is continually looking back may be detrimental to my real estate professional growth.
There are many nuances in the mistakes or interactions we have and those are often lost when we look back because we are more focused on the bigger mistakes, the results or lack there of. When I do look back, my focus is to adjust my current processes and again to look forward.
At the end of each day, I ask myself these three questions:
- What did I do well today?
- Where could I have done better today?
- How may I improve myself to be even better tomorrow professionally and personally?
This is my entry into the May 2025 Active Rain Challenge and thanks to Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400 for this interesting and thought provoking challenge.
#LetsGetBackToRealConversations #WeDoThingsDifferently
Leanne M Smith, The Grit and Gratitude Agent Who Goes the Extra Mile Because Life Begins Where the Pavement Ends.
Feature Photo Courtesy of Leanne M Smith (Sunrise Over the Hualapai Mountains, Golden Valley, Mohave County, AZ.
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