Not that you would ever go back to a “real” job, but if you did, your boss would probably expect you to work at a certain location, and during certain time periods. A formal job description would outline your duties—with expected measurable outcomes. And in return for accepting those conditions, you’d get paid.
You get paid in the real estate business, too, by accepting certain working conditions—but of your own design. The question then is, are you a good self-boss?
I asked a group of 20 real estate agents how they self-managed their business. The experience level in the group ranged from 2 months to 30 years. Here are some of the ideas they came up with:
Decide what motivates you. A good boss would find out what motivated you in order to tie meaningful incentives to desired outcomes. You can do that for yourself: reward yourself for completing the tasks that lead to finding, pursuing, and closing real estate transactions.
Write an action plan. Start with goals that are measurable, time-phased, and are a moderate risk (not within reach, but reachable). From there, list the tasks that will eventually reach those goals. This exercise seems overly-fundamental, but few people actually go though it on a regular basis. Successful businesses do, and so do successful real estate practitioners.
Manage your priorities. It’s easy to get caught up in the trivia that clutters our lives. But after reviewing your goals each day, ask yourself, “What is the most important thing for me to do right now, and to get done this day.”
Keep on keeping on. Someone once said, “The only time you fail is the last time you try.” Winston Churchill said, “Never, ever, ever, ever give up.” You might want to give up at some point, but be a good boss and don’t let yourself.
Give yourself some time off. Don’t be a cranky, pushy self-boss. Give yourself a day off now and then. You need to refresh and recharge, and remember that life is not just about earning more money.
