It’s human nature to focus on what you don’t have, rather than what you do. Or perhaps, this one fits for you: focusing on what you didn't get done, instead of what you did. Doing this has probably served you, in some respects, because it has motivated you to grow and expand. But a continual striving towards what you don’t have creates stress, struggle, frustration and a diminished ability to appreciate and enjoy today.

Here are three easy steps for you to experience more peace and release some a reas of stress that are a byproduct of our competitive lifestyles.

• Always Put People First, Things Second
• Appreciate And Focus On What You have
• Don’t Be A Lone Ranger: Expand Your Team

Always Put People First, Things Second

Take care of your relationships and they will take care of you! Are you maximizing the referral business with those who already know and love you? How about with those who are aware of you but don’t yet love you? How could you let them know you care and strengthen the bond? This is the most economical and enjoyable prospecting you can do. Your holiday card may have gotten lost in the December shuffle, but a Valentine’s card or mailing this month could have distinguished you from others.

Action To Take - Your entire database of past clients, sphere of influence & referral sources must know you love them & you love their referrals. Use the next holiday as a theme, or if you don’t have the birthdays of everyone on your list, try this idea. Send birthday cards to everyone! You’ll be right on about 1/12 and the rest will be calling you (and then you can update your records for next year!) For a real jumpstart, call you entire database this month! I guarantee this will produce activity & give your 1st quarter a shot in the arm. This will create an abundance of business early this year! (If setting up that database isn’t in place, use this idea to get you into action about that!) Just go for it!

Appreciate And Focus On What You DO Have

What you focus on expands. If what you notice is what you need or don’t have, that lack will be pervasive. When you focus on and are appreciative of what you DO have, new ways to use the value it represents begin to emerge. Learning new skills and keeping up with the changes in your business is important and should be part of your yearly business plan (A recommended budget is 5% of your gross for education, learning, tapes & books). Our tendency, though, to only focus on gaining new techniques or to try to master areas that are hard for you (understanding technologies, for instance), takes a lot of energy, time and money. It is expensive.

Ask yourself, instead, if you fully leveraging & utilizing all that you have? You have probably done so many seminars and training sessions, that you have unimplemented ideas that could last the rest of your career. You probably already have all the contacts you’ll ever need, if you were mining the gold that they represent. You probably already know what you should be doing, but haven’t gotten the support or coaching that would allow you to effortlessly apply it.

Action To Take - Examine how you can upgrade the areas that are working. What contacts are you grateful for? What skills do you already have? Who are the people you most enjoy spending time with? What are the activities you love being part of?

Now, make a list of 25 activities, things or people in your current life that you have as resources. Next to each item, brainstorm how you can leverage, upgrade or deepen these to produce results and business. Identify 5 where you will take action this week. Make the most of what you’ve already got! Most of all, see how you can have more fun spending more time with people and doing things you like.

Don’t Be A Lone Ranger: Expand Your Team

The "Lone Ranger" approach only gets you to a certain level and then you hit the wall and face burn out and overload. To make it more fun and easier, Create a HUGE team to support what you are doing.

The bigger your team, the more you take advantage of the synergy that is created in the act of creative collaboration. Team members, both internal and external, will allow you to do what you are brilliant at and have others support you in their areas of brilliance.

Begin with the delegation of non-revenue producing tasks that are not the highest and best use of your time. We often just think in terms of a full time assistant, but if you look around, there are many who could assist you on a per task or project basis. Is there a high school student or retiree who can help with telemarketing or mailings?

Your affiliate company representatives probably offer also services that you are not fully maximizing. Take them to lunch (that would be a switch for them and they’ll probably treasure your relationship because you treated them!). Tell them about your commitment to build your business and ask what ways they can support you or brainstorm some ways to create increased business for both of you. Inviting a loan officer to sit an open house with you is an example in action here.

Think more expansively now: Who else is interested in the same demographic profile you are? A financial planner, massage therapist, interior decorator. You get the idea -run with it.

Action To Take - Divide a sheet in 3 vertical columns. First, list of the people who are on your team. Include everybody that is part of your success. Include your spouse or children, the office secretary, and your affiliate partners.

In the 2nd column, list the skills or areas they can help.

Children might be able to stuff envelopes, distribute flyers to your farm area.

Title company rep may be able to provide labels or mailing lists, etc.

In the 3rd column, brainstorm additional ideas to include that person this year. Also, list tasks you should be delegating to a team member and if you don’t currently have a team member that can help-your action plan should include finding one.

Making the most of what you already have will make you feel good about what is working. Take wonderful care of those who you already know, leveraging the resources of what you already have and focusing on ideas to spread the wealth will produce more joy. What you concentrate on and think about most expands. So by thinking of how much you have, you will attract more!

And remember: "It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness." Charles Spurgeon

Published: February 16, 1999

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Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Joeann Fossland only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.

Joeann Fossland ePRO, GRI, MCC, PMN, SRS is a dynamic, international speaker and business coach. She personally coaches a small number of extraordinary agents who want to leverage their production results and have a life they love! She was recognized as one of the 25 Most Influential Women in Real Estate in 2008 by Stephan Swanapoel. Subscribe to her free Tuesday Tips, attend Fossland's Forums, free monthly tele-seminars, and find out about classes delivered by email and personal coaching by visiting Joeann.com or email her at . You can also connect at Facebook and Twitter.