Goal

Hello all,

"Goal"

True story and not the type of goal you are thinking of:

Four years ago this week my wife and I were called in for a listing appointment, a short sale in Clarksburg. The reason I can remember it was this week is because the listing appointment took place during the USA Vs. Russia hockey game in the previous olympics. I was not thrilled about going on the appointment during the game but I am a good husband and partner... Upon arriving at the house we were seated at the kitchen table. My seat had a direct view of the big screen TV where the two children were watching the game. From this point on my attention was split 50/50 between the appointment and the game. Lisa took control of the presentation while shooting me some looks after realizing I was not completely involved. I tried really hard to focus on the appointment but near the end the USA team scored and both of my arms went up in the air with an exuberant shout of "Goal". A couple of months later we learned the house was listed with another Realtor. We all make mistakes in this business so don't beat yourself up to much when you do.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe  

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"There is only one thing people like that is good for them; a good night's sleep." 

 

~ Edgar Watson Howe 

 

SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM! 

 

How did you sleep last night? Hopefully, you didn't toss and turn worrying about the start of another workweek. A lot of us have trouble these days getting what our minds and bodies need most - rest. We rush around all day, do chores into the evening, don't eat as well as we should, and go to bed later than we ought to. Then we lie awake thinking about everything we did today, and everything we have to do tomorrow. We're so darned tired when we go to bed that we we can't actually sleep! 

 

It's a modern day dilemma of our fast-paced, do-more-in-less-time culture. The irony, however, is that our periods of rest and relaxation are vitally important to our success. When we sleep, we heal - and we dream. Bedtime is the time to put aside worries of today and plans of tomorrow - to take a reckoning of the day and be satisfied that you made it through. 

 

Try to squeeze in some "downtime" before turning out the lights - some light reading or a little quiet time on the porch or patio. Anything you do to put the day's cares out of your mind will help you sleep when you finally close your eyes. 

 

A big factor in clearing your mind? Forgiveness. It has been said that "one of the secrets of a long and fruitful life is to forgive everybody everything every night before you go to bed." Whether for ourselves or others, forgiving what's happened today will greatly improve your outlook for tomorrow. 

 

Imagine the beauty of going to bed with no anger or regret in your heart. Imagine waking up in that same state. Forgive our hectic world, forgive yourself for trying to do too much. Tonight, relax and let yourself dream. 

Tidal Wave

Hello all,

"Tidal Wave"

So I hope everyone got some rest and did not put too much strain on the back with the snow storm. Beforehand I had talked to several of the agents in the office and the theme was the same across the board. A ton of stuff in the pipeline but the weather has been delaying things. In milder winters we see the office inventory rise steadily through January and February. It has gone up a bit so far this year but not at the rate of years past. With the slow start, throw in the number of transactions projected for this year and the weather breaking a bit this week...Real Estate is coming and it will be coming fast and furious like a Tidal Wave.

 

This guy is Real Estate and you are the water, better get ready!

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference." 

 

~ Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken"

 

PLAYING FOLLOW THE FOLLOWER?

 

Every morning a telephone operator in a small town received a phone call in which she was asked the time of day. One day, the operator asked her mysterious caller why he called every day to ask the correct time.

 

His answer? "I'm responsible for blowing the town whistle every day at noon, and just want to be sure I'm right on the second when I do it." With a chuckle, the operator replied, "Here at the telephone exchange, we set our watches and clocks by the town whistle!"

 

Watch children in a schoolyard and you'll notice the same thing. Children watch the child they perceive to be the leader, and then mimic his or her actions. They never realize that the other child is following the lead of still another.

 

So how will your day play out? Have you made original choices for the day, or will you be playing follow the follower? Either way, by bedtime tonight you will have been awake for about 16 hours and involved in some activity. Why not end the day with thanks - knowing that whatever you accomplished was by choice - not chance?

Sales Meeting

Hello all,

"Sales Meeting"

Quick coffee from the airport on my way home this morning. Wanted to remind everyone that our next sales meeting is this Friday, 11:15 at Lakewood Country Club. We will be giving out the individual awards for agent production so please make every effort to attend. Many of you did wonderful things last year and I look forward to celebrating your achievements with you.

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"I care not so much what I am to others as what I am to myself. I will be rich by myself, and not by borrowing." 

 

~ Michel de Montaigne 

 

PERSONAL BANKRUPTCY? 

 

We spend a lot of time worrying about how others see us, how we appear and how we act. It’s a form of self-awareness, perhaps, but how much help does it offer us as we try to appraise our own value? Our personal worth lies not so much in other people’s estimation, but in how comfortable we are with ourselves. 

 

At last year's convention of the National Association of REALTORS®, a keynote speech was given by Phil McGraw, the clinical psychologist popularly known as “Dr. Phil.” His take on this week’s quote is to think of your life as a bank account. If you keep making withdrawals without making any deposits, you’ll end up bankrupt. 

 

Withdrawals might include things like working late hours, handling emergency situations, mental anguish over money or relationships – you get the idea. We all have a list of activities that drain our energy, whether or not they are for our good or the good of others. 

 

Then there are deposits, like taking a vacation, spending time on a favorite hobby, a romantic evening with our spouse or partner. Surely you can think of a lot things you’d love to do, but don’t feel you’ve got that much time to devote to just yourself. 

 

In the words of Dr. Phil, “The most important relationship you have in your life is with yourself.” It’s true – how can you possibly nurture successful personal and business relationships if you aren’t happy with who you are and how you feel? Unless you put yourself first, you’ll end up physically and emotionally bankrupt – leaving you with nothing to invest in your relationships with others. 

 

You can’t borrow from others what you need to achieve success. You’ve heard it before that it’s never too late to begin building equity – in yourself!

RealtyJuggler

"RealtyJuggler"

Contact management systems come up all the time in trainings or when we are meeting with agents. If you have one that you like and are using it then stick with it. Many of the agents in the office are using RealtyJuggler. If you do not have one or you are looking to make a change you might want to check it out. It has all the necessary tools we need as agents and it is only $99 a year.

http://www.realtyjuggler.com/

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"If your riches are yours, why don't you take them to t'other world?" 

~ Benjamin Franklin

 

LEAVE A LEGACY!

 

In one of William Bennett's books, he tells a story about Ben Franklin's death. It seems that old Ben made a special gift in his will. In it, he left 1,000 pounds to the cities of Philadelphia and Boston with specific instructions. They were to set up a program of loans to young men under the age of 25, married, and who had successfully completed an apprenticeship, needing startup money for a trade or business. The money was to be loaned at 5% interest. The loan program was to continue for 200 years.

 

At the end of 100 years, the two cities were to withdraw $100,000 each for public projects, and continue lending the balance as stated above. At the end of 200 years, the fund was to be split between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boston, and Massachusetts. In the year 1990 there was $6,500,000 in the fund. For 200 years, Ben Franklin helped young men get started in business by making those funds available, and had $6.5 million left over.

 

Just think of the many ways you and I could benefit our families, the community, or the lives of total strangers if we just took the initiative exhibited by Ben Franklin. By setting up a similar fund that earns just 5%, it would contain $17,292,581 at the end of 200 years. The purpose could be educational loans for family members.

 

Set aside $1,000 now and add just $100 per month to it for ten years, earning 5% on loans made from the account, and the fund would have $17,157. After the ten-year period of adding $100 per month, no more money is added and it continues to be loaned at 5% for the next 190 years. At the end of 200 years, the fund would contain $181,141,192. At that point, it could be converted to an outright "grant" program to which family members could apply for education funds.

 

Instead of focusing on just your immediate family, think about the legacy you could leave by planning much further into the future. Thanks to the "future value of money" concept, you could provide valuable support to many future generations. It's just a thought, but why couldn't we give it a try?

Googled

Hello all,

"Googled" 

This I hope is more of a reminder than anything else. When people are looking for information these days more than likely they are turning to Google to begin the search.  Which leads to if people are looking for information on you they are going to Google, so you are being "Googled". I would suggest we need to Google ourselves every six months or so to see how we are viewed by the public. Your profiles could and should appear on Linkedin, Facebook, Remax International, Zillow, Twitter, Activerain... Make sure what they find is flattering, information is updated and the picture of you doing something you should not be doing does not appear (insert your own thought here). The most important thing is to be found, if someone searches for you and it comes up blank they will probably move right past you.  

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe     

 INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out." 

 

~ Anton Chekhov 

 

IMPROVING THE DAILY GRIND! 

 

Conventional Wisdom tells us that life’s most traumatic moments provide opportunity for personal growth and discovery. More often, however, it’s the mundane, everyday trials and tribulations that really push us to discover the scope of both our achievements and our patience. 

 

We undervalue our daily functions, simply because we do them on such a regular basis. But consistently performing those “menial” jobs, and consistently performing them well, is the real gauge of accomplishment. 

 

Just trying to prevent boredom is a real challenge. You have to be careful not to neglect the “small stuff” as you look ahead to bigger and more exciting things. You needn’t be in “crisis mode” all the time, but do be aware that even your most routine responsibilities are critically important. That’s why you have to do them so often! 

 

If you’re becoming bored by your “day to day living,” then you need to “change things up.” You insult yourself with boredom – you have it within you to educate and entertain yourself, to fill your time with activities that develop your mind or your body. 

 

This is why so many people actually fear retirement. They fear they’ll have nothing to do. They’ve spent so long on “autopilot” that they have trouble imagining new routines. But there’s always volunteerism, continuing education, recreational activities and hobbies, second careers, and more. 

 

If your autopilot has taken command, imagine what you would suddenly try to do if you discovered you had one year to live. "The amount of satisfaction you get from life depends largely on your own ingenuity, self-sufficiency, and resourcefulness. People who wait around for life to supply their satisfaction usually find boredom instead." Those words from Dr. William Menninger show it’s only you who is responsible for your satisfaction. What will you do today to improve tomorrow?

Confidence=Production

Hello all,

"Confidence = Production"

In this business you need to have a little swagger in your step, back arched a bit and your head held high. However always remember there is a fine line between confidence and cockeyness. We can all vision an agent or two who act as if they were the only ones who has ever sold real estate... The reason confidence is important is that our clients need it and I would say demand it. Real Estate is coming back but there is still uncertainty when we are meeting with our clients. They are looking for us to take control, be knowledgeable and lead them through the process. You do not need to know the answer to every question to show confidence but your body language should show you are the right agent for the job. If you are unsure of yourself before a meeting practice how you will be handling it, buyer presentations, listing appointments, practice, practice practice. At the end of the day the more confidence you have in yourself the more production you will achieve which leads to more dollars in your pocket.  

  

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

  INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Success is counted sweetest by those who never succeed." 

 

~ Emily Dickinson

 

"Men are all the same. They always think that something they are going to get is better than what they have got." 

 

~ John Oliver Hobbes 

 

HOW GREEN IS YOUR GRASS? 

 

Have you been sowing the seeds of your success? Are you prepared for the harvest? Those who are jealous of other people's successes often have no idea of the consequences. Yes, that rose is sweet and fragrant, but watch out for the thorns! That which you would most value always comes at some cost. 

 

Picture the most successful person in your office. Now imagine the trappings of their accomplishments - more money means more worrying about money, achievement means maintaining and even increasing that level of achievement, working so hard means having less time for personal pursuits. All the while, the competition is always on their heels. 

 

You should respect the achievements of your colleagues, but never be jealous of them. Understand that problems conquered on the way to success are simply replaced by other problems. Max Beerbohm said, "I have known no man of genius who had not to pay, in some affliction or defect either physical or spiritual, for what the gods had given him." Success is a gift, but we know that nothing in life is truly free. 

 

It's wrong to believe that "the grass is always greener" on the other side of the fence. Don't cheat yourself into accepting that "the best is yet to come." If that were really true, you would never reach that elusive day when everything is as you wish - it will always be "yet to come." If you just begin to make NOW the best time of your life, NOW will always be the best time of your life, because NOW is the only time in which you live! 

 

Sure, give yourself goals and pursue them with all your heart and soul, if that's what truly makes you happy. We all need direction - the desire to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. But don't do it in the hopes of BECOMING happy. Happiness comes from enjoying what you have already achieved and are achieving right now. 

 

Respect, don't envy, the accomplishments of your peers and your competitors, and understand that they too must find their own way to accept all the trappings of their success and find happiness. You too may soon learn their secret.

Affiliates

Hello all,

"Affiliates"

For those of you who missed the sales meeting we warmly welcome George Mason Mortgage to our RE/MAX Town Center family. You will be seeing them in the offices soon so please make them feel at home. I wanted to ask of you to keep in mind all of the wonderful things the affiliates bring to the table. They are our resource for all knowledge we need to have as agents in Title, Mortgage, Insurance and Home Warranty. How wonderful is it to be able to pick up the phone and have any questions we have answered by trusted partners? We have our own legal department, sponsors of our events, training, happy hours... For those of you that send them business regularly I thank you. I understand some of you have had relationships with other vendors for a long time and I would not ask you to break them. However if you could throw are partners a bone or two every so often that would be wonderful. I will ask that if you get a lead from the office through a referral or floor duty you at least give our partners an opportunity to win the deal. Company generated business should allow the partners that opportunity.  

Enjoy the coffee,

Joe

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

 

"Circumstances are the rulers of the weak; they are but the instruments of the wise." 

 

~ Samuel Lover 

 

GIVE YOURSELF A HAND! 

 

Success and failure - people love taking credit for their achievements, but often blame outside factors when they fail or fall short. We have the power to accomplish our objectives, but when we fail to use that power to our advantage, we tend to fall back on excuses. The trick is to stop making excuses and accept full responsibility for all of our actions and reactions. 

 

Instead of wondering why something happened to you, start wondering how you could have reacted differently. Your response to any given incident defines your power (or lack thereof) to produce the results you seek. Consider the following formula presented in Jack Canfield's book, "The Success Principles": 

 

E + R = O, where E is the Event, R is your Response to the Event, and O is the Outcome. 

 

Thus, every single Outcome you experience is the direct result of how you Respond to a given Event. The Event is an unchangeable constant, but your Response is the variable that changes the Outcome. 

 

Our choice of two options determines our level of happiness and success. Either A. Blame the Event for lack of the desired Outcome, or B. Change our Response until we achieve the desired Outcome. In today's inspiring quote, option A is for the "weak" and option B is for the "wise." 

 

An old Swedish proverb says, "The best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your own arm." Don't look to outside people or circumstances when planning to achieve your goals. When you realize - and start acting like - you are 100% responsible, it's amazing how much power you feel. Many of the greatest achievers in history faced seemingly insurmountable outside forces, but obviously it was not those forces that were the deciding factor - it was how they faced those challenges. You too can stop making excuses and take control of your reactions and results - and you can start right now.