General Sales Meeting/Awards

Hello all,

"General Sales Meeting/Awards"

Our meeting will be this Friday 2/6 11am at Lakewood Country Club. For those who are new we gather around 11 and mingle for a while, lunch is served at 11:30 and we start the meeting a little before 12. Normally we are done around one but with the awards it will be closer to two. We will meet our new agents, our new affiliates and lot's of good information to share! Look forward to seeing you all, lot's of energy to kick off the new year.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"There is a law in psychology that if you form a picture in your mind of what you would like to be, and you keep and hold that picture there long enough, you will soon become exactly as you have been thinking."  

 

~ William James 

 

 

YOU'RE THE PHOTOGRAPHER! 

 

Most people, when they have their camera in hand, take snapshots of other people or things. The focus is on anything and everything outside themselves. What many don't realize is that they also have a super high-resolution camera in their minds. 

 

The words of William James are not new. They've been said before in many forms, i.e. "As a man thinketh, so is he," or "You are what you think about all day long," or "A man is what his thoughts make of him." 

 

By simply framing a picture in your mind of the person you would like to become, then acting like that person - you ARE that person! I believe it was Zig Ziglar who said it this way: "Fake it 'til you make it!" In other words, just by "acting" like the person you want to be, you actually become that person. 

 

Likewise, we often create our own limitations by creating small pictures of who we are. In the words of Michelangelo (1475-1564), "The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." 

 

Why not take a closer look at the image you've created of yourself? Is it in focus? Does it portray the person you really want to be? Should you "zoom" in for a closer look, or go "wide angle" to broaden your horizons? 

 

Your life is whatever you imagine it to be. Create a masterpiece! 

#1

Hello all,

"#1"

On the first of the year I had the pleasure to let everyone know we ranked #1 in three areas for 2014:

 #1 Real Estate Office in Germantown

 #1 Real Estate Office in Potomac

 #1 RE/MAX Brokerage in Montgomery County 

Attached are three promotional items reflecting these achievements that you may want to use for some of your marketing materials and listing presentations. 2015 has started off very well for the offices so these numbers should only continue to rise!

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Always remember the distinction between contribution and commitment. Take the matter of bacon and eggs. The chicken makes a contribution. The pig makes a commitment." 

~ John Mack Carter

 

HOW'S THE FAMILY?

 

OK, sure - you prepare the meals, maintain the yard, balance the checkbook, take the kids to soccer, wash and iron the clothes, tune-up the car. You take care of all the daily needs of the family. So - is that your contribution to them, or a contribution to your commitment to them?

 

Our world today is frantic. As adults, our responsibilities are awesome. Our careers require long and odd hours away from family. Our children are lured by television towards needs and desires for more and more material possessions, i.e. logo clothing, "gaming" accessories, makeup, or cool vehicles. Our spouse wonders why there's never enough time for "us." Where will it all end? How can we slow down?

 

If your family is moving at the speed of life, and there seems to be no end in sight, maybe it's time to take a look at your commitment to all involved. A great place to start is time alone with your spouse - away from home. If possible, that means an overnight or weekend trip. It's a time to re-examine your values, your goals in life, and the direction you would like your family to take. Finally, it's a time to re-commit to the health of your marriage.

 

You may quickly realize that it's a time to simplify your life - and that of your family. That's easy to say - more difficult to accomplish - yet attainable with a firm commitment. If you like the idea of simplification, there are three excellent books that can move you in that direction.

 

First is a great primer, Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Gift From The Sea." Next, for both men and women is "The Simplicity Reader" by Elaine St. James. Finally, and especially for women, is "Simple Abundance" by Sarah Ban Breathnach. Why not make a new commitment to your family, beginning today? Your contributions will be much more enjoyable!

Widget

Hello all,

"Widget"

Lisa and I had the pleasure of spending a couple of days with arguably some of the highest producers and best minds in the business. There was certainly a couple of "Ah Ha" moments and some take away's we will be glad share with you all. However and at the end of the day the magical real estate "widget" has yet to be invented. Being able to throw a couple of grand at something and making a Million might have to wait for the next generation.

So for the current generation we will need to stick to the basics and continue doing what we have been doing. Lead generation, prospecting, phone calls, notes, newsletters, farming, marketing, open houses, floor duty... the most important and as always will be to outwork the competition everyday. We have the hardest working agents in the business in our offices and that work ethic will always put us on top! 

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe  

 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"If ever I go looking for my heart's desire, I won't look any further than my own backyard!"  

 

~ Dorothy (from the The Wizard of Oz) 

 

 

HAVE NO REGRETS! 

 

Have you ever made big plans to strike out in a new direction? Maybe you've dreamed of a better education, a new career, or the magic of some far away wonderland where life seems to come alive. You checked out your idea, researched all the possibilities, made plans, told your friends and family, and took the risk. 

 

Soon after beginning your quest, however, maybe you realized it wasn't for you. Guilt or embarrassment may have set in, and you weren't sure what to do. After all, you already told everyone about your grand plans, and now what would they think of you for making a 180¼ turn in midstream? 

 

John Greenleaf Whittier, in his well-known poem "Maud Muller," wrote "For all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been!" His message? Take a risk! Strike out on your own if that be your desire. Give it a try! Don't be afraid! In other words, don't let fear rob you of the opportunity to learn what "might have been." 

 

Better to take the chance and have no regrets, than to fear giving it a try. If you later find, to your chagrin, that the new direction is not right for you, try looking, as did Dorothy, in your own backyard. Very often, everything you needed to be totally fulfilled already existed at your beginning point. 

 

Remember - "There's no place like home!" 

In Office Sales Meeting

Hello all,

"In Office Sales Meeting"

We are changing up the sales meetings a bit this year for those who do not know. There will be a total of 8 meetings, 4 where all three offices will gather together and 4 for the individual offices. The first of the four in office sales meetings will be tomorrow at 10 in your individual office. this will be a great opportunity for you to get together with your office mates for a little less formal gathering. Please be on time and be prepared to share!  

Lisa and I will be off to California on Tuesday for a Tom Ferry event. Mark, Al & Paulette will be in charge while I am out. I will be checking my email often if you need me.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"There isn't a person anywhere who isn't capable of doing more than he thinks he can."  

 

~ Henry Ford 

 

 

LISTEN! 

 

Ever notice how difficult it is to break out of your routine to take time just for you? Yet, when you do, you experience a sense of refreshment. You're more observant, more aware of your surroundings - if only for a short time. 

 

Those brief periods are when the mind is most receptive to creative thinking. The sub-conscious, with its defensive barriers temporarily lowered, is more likely to receive and accept new ideas. Use that time wisely by letting go, giving yourself permission to dream new dreams, to reach for the "brass ring." 

 

You don't have to analyze or give form to those dreams - just allow them to occur. When an idea begins to grab you and arouses inner excitement, pay attention. Avoid letting your conscious mind scoff at the value of your idea or throw roadblocks in your way. Listen to your quiet inner voice. Allow what Napoleon Hill describes as "infinite intelligence" to speak to you. 

 

Read Henry Ford's quote again and concentrate on the last seven words, "doing more than he thinks he can." It's what your conscious self "thinks you can do" that is so limiting. Remember the expression "Think you can, think you can't - either way you're right"? Whatever your conscious self thinks is the limit to your doing - IS the limit. To exceed the limits you have placed upon yourself requires expanded thinking. 

 

To get started, find your own quiet place - and go there for just fifteen minutes each day. In good weather, sit outside at dawn with a fresh cup of coffee. If you're a night person, find a quiet corner after the house is settled for the evening. Let the family know you want 15 uninterrupted minutes - just for you. Close your eyes and begin by clearing your mind of trivia - like wiping off a blackboard - then just let go. You'll be amazed at the results. 

Wheel of Life

Hello all,

"Wheel of Life"

We talked a lot at the end of the year about business planning and goal setting for 2015. Before we start to kick ass in 2015 we might want to take a minute to watch the Tom Ferry video below about having balance in your life. If we are going to be the best we can be we need to have the balance in all areas. If we try to only focus on our business it will be difficult to reach our goals. Welcome to the 2015 Real Estate year and enjoy the video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TiyHgnvZY0  

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

        

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Whoever gossips to you will gossip of you." 

 

 

~ Spanish Proverb 

 

 

 

JUDGE NOT . . . 

 

You know the type - there's a gossip in everyone's life. It may be a friend, an acquaintance, or a total stranger. Regardless, it is the person who shares with you any amount of information about another, either about what they have accomplished, or more often, what they have not. 

 

Why does a gossip perform his or her service so readily? Self-aggrandizement is often the culprit. Knowing such valuable information about another as to be able to share it, reasons the gossip, reflects favorably on the provider of such knowledge. In fact, however, gossiping is nothing more than the act of judging others. 

 

When a friend passes judgment on another, might it be that, in your absence, they also pass judgment on you? In most cases that is true. Thus, one measure of another's character might be the presence or absence of such a tendency. 

 

Steven Covey (of "Seven Habits..." fame) offers a solution when he says, "If you do not judge others, they will not judge you." In other words, if you are of such character as to never discuss the merits or actions of others, unless they be favorable, it is highly likely that others will reciprocate in kind. If someone makes a negative comment about another, Covey suggests that your reply might be, "That's interesting. He has always spoken very highly of YOU." 

 

Many wise men, in many languages, over many centuries, have repeated and paraphrased the maxim "Judge not, that ye be not judged." It's easy to neutralize the gossip's sting by practicing such clear advice! 

- See more at: http://www.eugeneoregonhomesforsale.com/Morning-Coffee#sthash.ZD3asj0G.dpuf

Shut Down Time

Hello all,

"Shut Down Time"

Time of year I shut down my Monday Morning Coffee for a while. December will be a pretty strong closing month for the offices. Let's keep it rolling into 2015!

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"We stand at the crossroads each minute, each hour, each day, making choices. We choose the thoughts we allow ourselves to think, the passions we allow ourselves to feel, and the actions we allow ourselves to perform. Each choice is made in the context of whatever value system we've selected to govern our lives. In selecting that value system, we are, in a very real way, making the most important choice we will ever make." 

 

 

- Benjamin Franklin  

 

 

 

ENJOY PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP! 

 

Remember the day you made the decision to go to college? What about the day you decided to buy that sporty red car? Surely you remember the day you decided you would get married. What about your present career path? Did you purposely decide it's what you want to do? Do you remember making a conscious decision to have three children? 

 

Some decisions are relatively simple. You decide to buy a TV, go to the store, write a check - and it's yours. You own it! Other decisions are also easy to make, i.e. the red sports car, but carry a higher price. The decision comes quickly, but entails both a down payment and a commitment to make payments on time for several years. Again, you make the decision to buy and the car is yours - you own it! 

 

At some point in life come decisions that shouldn't have been made, but were, as well as those you should have withheld. In high school, a day of classes skipped may have resulted in grades lower than acceptable to your choice of colleges. Later, a poor choice of friends may have resulted in a blemish on your "permanent" record. As an adult, poor decision-making not only may reduce the quality of your life, but of those you love. 

 

Regardless, each decision made is yours to keep - you own it! You also own the responsibilities created by the decision, i.e. following a healthy lifestyle to stay trim, working two jobs to keep your commitment to the mortgage company, giving up poorly chosen friends and activities to provide your children with a happy, nurturing home life. 

 

Every decision made can turn positive or negative, depending on the actions taken once the decision has been made. Either way - making the decision is followed by ownership of the results. Does "pride of ownership" appeal to you? Buy it, own it, love it! 

2015

Hello all,

"2015"

The link below is an article about the 2015 housing market. Not sure is if I agree with everything in the article but all the news we are seeing at this point suggests 2015 will out perform 2014. Couple of more weeks before we shut down for the holidays, let's spend the time making sure we are ready for next year. If there is more market share available you need to be in better position to grab it then your competition! 

 http://rismedia.com/2014-11-23/improved-home-sales-predicted-for-2015-despite-remaining-hurdles/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eNews

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe 

(Must have taken Thanksgiving off, repeat)

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"People fail forward to success."

~ Mary Kay Ash


FAILING FORWARD!

It's been observed that although experience can be the best teacher, you get it by taking the exam before you've actually taken the course!

Quite expectedly, many of us don't perform well initially when attempting something new. While there is such a thing as a "natural talent" in just about any field of endeavor, it's probably safe to assume that most people working (or playing) at anything, from the practice of law to the game of tennis, have a long road behind them paved with what they considered (at the time) to be failures.

Every experience we have, however, should be a learning process. And our so-called "failures" are in fact the “experiences” from which we learn the most. Early on in life, the way we gain our sense of balance is from falling down when we first attempt to walk. Every fall, every "failure," eventually led to success.

It's a rare individual who does well in his or her first attempt at anything. Despite Yoda's philosophy in the Star Wars saga that "there is no try; there is only do," most of us ending up "doing" after repeated attempts at "trying." Eventually, we “do” manage to succeed.

So perhaps what Yoda was saying, after all, is that when we finally achieve our goals, it's only the end result that matters - because of everything we previously considered, failure simply becomes part of the process of success. Then we have indeed "failed forward!"