Today was a typical day for me...BUSY. However, late in the afternoon...while waiting for a client to arrive at my listing...I had a half hour of unexpected and uninterrupted 'thinking' time.
As I have done much lately, I seized the opportunity to work on my 2009 business plan...a plan that realistically addresses the 'challenges' of our current real estate market. Mentally projecting six months into the future and attempting to predict the 'temperature' of the market, I had one of those 'ah hah' moments that caused me to stop in my tracks. I'll get back to that a little later in the post.
By nature, I am a planner...a control-freak, according to some people. True to form, I began my real estate career with a clearly defined purpose, plan and goal. In addition to being a planner, I'm also very passionate and hardworking. My husband says I'm the most stubborn person he has ever met. I think 'passionate' and 'hardworking' have a more pleasant ring, but I cannot argue with 'stubborn'...being the realist I am.
Within six months of earning my real estate license, I was the top producing agent in my office. After only two years in the business, I opened my own brokerage. I could continue to list all of my career achievements, but that is not the purpose of this post. What I will share with you is that...although I did not always follow the 'plan' step-by-step...I always had a plan...a written plan. Furthermore, I have almost always exceeded my own expectations and goals set forth in the plan.
Even now...in this turbulent market...I am busy. I'm certainly not closing as many transactions as I did two years ago, but I'm still in business to do business. The plan has changed with the market, but I'm still making and following a plan.
Earlier in this post, I promised to share my 'ah hah' moment.
Here goes...
When I began my career, I did not ask anyone what I should expect to accomplish in my first year. If I had done so, I may have learned that only one in ten new agents are still in business after their first year. I may have discovered that it takes the 'average' agent five years to reach the sales level that I achieved in my first six months. What if I had listened to my first broker-in-charge who told me that I would NEVER be successful if I "gave so much (of myself) away" to my clients?
According to the news media, we have not yet seen the worst of the housing crisis. Just today, in a meeting at the Durham Association of REALTORS®, I learned that they are expecting the greatest decrease in membership for 2009 than any previous year. All of the 'experts' seem to agree that 2009 will be a really bad year to be a REALTOR®. Pondering all of this bad news, it 'hit' me...IF I did not bother to consult the market analysts and news reporters before planning to succeed my first year in business, WHY SHOULD I CONSULT THEM NOW?
Statistically, I was pre-destined to fail...but I did not fail.
In fact, I achieved record-breaking success!
So...I will continue working on my business plan for 2009. ..a plan for success. I will set realistic and achievable goals, but they will not be based on the experts' predictions of gloom and doom. Nope. Neither will they be driven by fear of failure. In contrast, they will be based on my personal desire and commitment to make 2009 one of the best years of my career.
You see...I believe that:
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
- William Jennings Bryan -
***Photo courtesy of freefoto.com***
Written and Posted by:
Elizabeth Nieves - Broker, REALTOR®
The Elizabeth Nieves Realty Group @ Keller Williams (A Bilingual Real Estate Team serving Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill NC and surrounding areas.)
Search Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and ALL Triangle Homes for Sale
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